1974 | Chateau Montelena | Cabernet Sauvignon

Wonderfully vibrant still with masses of obviously Cabernet ripe fruit and great balance. Admirably vigorous still.

Reviews:

• Jancis Robinson: A very handsome bottle of this wine that did so wonderfully well in the famous first Judgment of Paris tasting - a slightly earlier vintage. Wonderfully vibrant still with masses of obviously Cabernet ripe fruit and great balance. Admirably vigorous still. In much, much better shape than any 1974 red Bordeaux.

• Decanter: The first Montelena Cabernet, from purchased Russian River and Alexander Valley grapes, was very much alive, with rich curranty flavours with a hint of balsamic in the surprisingly long finish. Barrett says the high acidity held it together. Very much an old-school California Cabernet with fairly rustic tannins, it’s still enjoyable for its historic importance. This famous vintage put northern California Cabernets on the map as potential competitors to Bordeaux.

Producer Information

Chateau Montelena is one of the most prominent Napa Valley wineries. It was directly associated with bringing international recognition to the California wine industry through the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Based in Calistoga, it is famous for its varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines. Despite its claim to fame with Chardonnay, the flagship wine of Chateau Montelena has actually been its Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. It was born in the early 1980s, when the estate vines had matured enough to start producing quality fruit. After fermentation in stainless steel, it is barrel-aged in a series of tunnels and caves beneath the winery for up to 22 months. Also sourced from Chateau Montelena's home vineyard is the Estate Zinfandel. After extensive investment into reworking the vineyard, the 2018 vintage saw the wine return from a five year hiatus. Other wines in the collection are predominately sourced from the Napa Valley and include a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a Petit Syrah. Chateau Montelena also produce a Riesling, sourced from vineyards within the Potter Valley AVA. Fire damage in the 2018 growing season meant that for the first time since 1972, the Potter Valley Riesling was not released.

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