Chateau Montelena 2010 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - A California Icon Pre-arrival offer: $115.99 per bottle (packed in six packs) Need I really say anything more? One of my favorite of all Napa Cabernets, this winery has provided some great wine drinking experiences over the years. Star of the 1976 Paris tasting of "Bottleshock" fame (albeit for the 1973 Chardonnay), producer of age-worthy classic Napa Cabernet for five decades, and a winemaking history back to the 1800's, Montelena has a pedigree that matches the Grand Crus of Bordeaux and Burgundy. It was one of the wineries I visited on my very first trip to wine country in 1979, and I have had countless superb wines from Montelena since, not only in "great" vintages but in "lesser" years as well - wines that aged gracefully and outperformed in every sense. I got a little spoiled when in my younger days I shared an apartment with a friend who was the eastern US rep for Montelena, and for a couple of years we pretty much kept our wine habit alive drinking the leftover samples he would bring home. Great wines from the 70's, 80's and early 90's, it was a chance to really get to know wines we could never have afforded otherwise. The 2010 is a great vintage in California, yielding wines with structure and elegance, a little more tightly wound and focused, the best with no lack of concentration. A coolish year by California standards, the wines can have more acidity, slightly lower alcohols and more Bordeaux like sensibilities. This bodes well for my palate, and as Antonio Galloni put it "Fans of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will find a lot get excited about with the 2010 vintage. The 2010s are magnificent, viscerally thrilling wines loaded with character and personality. To be sure, the 2010s – the product of a long, cold growing season – are going to require a few years in bottle. This is the type of vintage that is often overlooked upon release, but that consumers regret not purchasing more deeply when the wines start showing their full potential 4-5 years later. There is no question 2010 is the greatest vintage for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in the 2008-2011 time frame." This is definitely a wine for the cellar, in need of at least 4-5 years to come together. But if you have the patience, it will be best from 2020-2030. And while it is not exactly inexpensive, when compared to some of its rivals from California it is an absolute bargain - Cheers! Chris Pre-Arrival Offer. Wines arrive March/April. All orders subject to confirmation. Please provide payment and shipping/pick up information with your order. Packed in six bottle cases. No further discounts. Offer expires February 27th 2014. |
Powered by WineFetch | Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved • Terms • Privacy Policy |