Search Wine Tasting Notes

For a better Search Result, use the Advanced Wine Search. Else, enter the wine name and the vintage if desired, or the region for tasting notes. If you don’t get the result you’re seeking, either we do not have tasting notes on the wine or for that exact year. To help your search results, broaden your search to just the wine name and check for spelling errors. You can sort your results by ratings, vintage or alphabetically.

Chateau%20Montelena

19 notes Sort by: Vintage - Name - Rating

2016
90
Light, fresh, yellow citrus, green apple and lemon peel with a touch of vanilla and flowers in a ready to drink format are what you find here.

Light, fresh, yellow citrus, green apple and lemon peel with a touch of vanilla and flowers in a ready to drink format are what you find here.

3,877 Views   Tasted
2015
94
Floral, elegant, soft and dare I say, with some polish and finesse to the tannins. The fruit is ripe, sweet fresh and juicy, which is perfectly offset by touches of vanilla, espresso, forest floor and spice. For Montelena Estate, this will drink well young and should age nicely for at least 2 decades.

Floral, elegant, soft and dare I say, with some polish and finesse to the tannins. The fruit is ripe, sweet fresh and juicy, which is perfectly offset by touches of vanilla, espresso, forest floor and spice. For Montelena Estate, this will drink well young and should age nicely for at least 2 decades.

5,723 Views   Tasted
2012
92
Nice wine here, with lots of fresh, sweet, juicy black cherries, blackberry, pepper and earthy qualities. The tannins are ripe and smooth, finishing with ample fresh, ripe dark berries. Like all Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon wines, this will probably be much better in a decade.

Nice wine here, with lots of fresh, sweet, juicy black cherries, blackberry, pepper and earthy qualities. The tannins are ripe and smooth, finishing with ample fresh, ripe dark berries. Like all Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon wines, this will probably be much better in a decade.

6,657 Views   Tasted
2011
90
Surprisingly forward and approachable for a Montelena this young, the medium bodied wine, with is cherry dominated core also displayed oak, spice and earthy character.

Surprisingly forward and approachable for a Montelena this young, the medium bodied wine, with is cherry dominated core also displayed oak, spice and earthy character.

3,452 Views   Tasted
2010
92
Firm, structured and demanding bottle age, the wine is clean, fresh and long, with blackberries, earth, spicy red plums and herbs.

Firm, structured and demanding bottle age, the wine is clean, fresh and long, with blackberries, earth, spicy red plums and herbs.

4,405 Views   Tasted
2009
90
Vanilla, earth, blackberry, black cherry and a nice array of spices open the wine. Soft, approachable and with good freshness, the wine ends with a round, red and black fruit filled finish, which is complicated by fresh herbs.

Vanilla, earth, blackberry, black cherry and a nice array of spices open the wine. Soft, approachable and with good freshness, the wine ends with a round, red and black fruit filled finish, which is complicated by fresh herbs.

4,468 Views   Tasted
Medium bodied with red and black fruits, earth, oak and tobacco, this is easy to like and drink.

Medium bodied with red and black fruits, earth, oak and tobacco, this is easy to like and drink.

4,578 Views   Tasted
2009
92
Earth, licorice, spice, cassis and coffee notes lead to a rich, full, concentrated, tannic wine that requires 3-5 years to relinquish some of its tannic structure.

Earth, licorice, spice, cassis and coffee notes lead to a rich, full, concentrated, tannic wine that requires 3-5 years to relinquish some of its tannic structure.

5,089 Views   Tasted
2007
93
Tannic, young, ripe and firm, especially for a 2007 wine, this needs time to integrate, develop more softness in the tannins and flesh out.

Tannic, young, ripe and firm, especially for a 2007 wine, this needs time to integrate, develop more softness in the tannins and flesh out.

5,486 Views   Tasted
2005
92
Medium-bodied, and already surprisingly drinkable, the wine offers smoke, licorice, bay leaf and blackberries on the nose. The fruit is ripe, fresh and sweet, but the structure and concentration found in the best vintages of Montelena Estate are not there.

Medium-bodied, and already surprisingly drinkable, the wine offers smoke, licorice, bay leaf and blackberries on the nose. The fruit is ripe, fresh and sweet, but the structure and concentration found in the best vintages of Montelena Estate are not there.

5,263 Views   Tasted
2002
94
Popped and poured at the last minute to toast Jim Barrett who just passed away, the wine as expected is still young. With air, this earthy, fresh, cassis, spice and blackberry filled wine began to show its stuff. It is dense, full bodied, and packed with tannins, demanding at least 5-10 more years to soften and develop. There is a beautiful sensation of purity of fruit in the structured wine.

Popped and poured at the last minute to toast Jim Barrett who just passed away, the wine as expected is still young. With air, this earthy, fresh, cassis, spice and blackberry filled wine began to show its stuff. It is dense, full bodied, and packed with tannins, demanding at least 5-10 more years to soften and develop. There is a beautiful sensation of purity of fruit in the structured wine.

5,843 Views   Tasted
2001
90
96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Big, dense, concentrated and powerful, the cassis, tobacco and earthy tannic, wine is well made, but it lacks grace and elegance.

96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Big, dense, concentrated and powerful, the cassis, tobacco and earthy tannic, wine is well made, but it lacks grace and elegance.

8,742 Views   Tasted
1997
94
Still going strong with its layers of ripe blackberries, herbs, tobacco leaf, and black cherries. Full-bodied, rich, round, and packed with fruit, this is a great showing that has at least another 15 or more years in the tank, if well stored.

Still going strong with its layers of ripe blackberries, herbs, tobacco leaf, and black cherries. Full-bodied, rich, round, and packed with fruit, this is a great showing that has at least another 15 or more years in the tank, if well stored.

4,675 Views   Tasted
With an earthy, cassis filled nose, the wine is full bodied, rich, fresh, young and vibrant, with a long, spicy, ripe, fruit driven finish.

With an earthy, cassis filled nose, the wine is full bodied, rich, fresh, young and vibrant, with a long, spicy, ripe, fruit driven finish.

5,069 Views   Tasted
Rich, full bodied and intense, with polished tannins, lift, purity of fruit and freshness, the wine moves from blackberry to dark cherry and back to black fruits again in the finish. This is good now and will keep getting better with age.

Rich, full bodied and intense, with polished tannins, lift, purity of fruit and freshness, the wine moves from blackberry to dark cherry and back to black fruits again in the finish. This is good now and will keep getting better with age.

4,772 Views   Tasted
I have not always been the biggest fan of Montelena. While the wines are always well made, for my palate, they have been lacking in character. Popped and poured at the end of the night, I was blown away by the quality of this wine! Everything about it rocked starting with the deep color. The pungent aromatics packed with cassis, earth, tobacco and truffle were a pleasure to experience. But the thick, plush, palate coating texture was where the fireworks took off. The wine has great intensity, purity, complexity and length, and it's still young! This is the vintage to buy of Montelena. If it was this good just popped and poured, with time and air, this is a serious Cabernet Sauvignon for the cellar.

I have not always been the biggest fan of Montelena. While the wines are always well made, for my palate, they have been lacking in character. Popped and poured at the end of the night, I was blown away by the quality of this wine! Everything about it rocked starting with the deep color. The pungent aromatics packed with cassis, earth, tobacco and truffle were a pleasure to experience. But the thick, plush, palate coating texture was where the fireworks took off. The wine has great intensity, purity, complexity and length, and it's still young! This is the vintage to buy of Montelena. If it was this good just popped and poured, with time and air, this is a serious Cabernet Sauvignon for the cellar.

6,730 Views   Tasted
This began with spice box, black cherry and smokey aromatics. Soft, elegant and full bodied, the wine seemed like it was still holding a lot in reserve.

This began with spice box, black cherry and smokey aromatics. Soft, elegant and full bodied, the wine seemed like it was still holding a lot in reserve.

10,377 Views   Tasted
Thick, rich, concentrated and opulent. Reminds of the 91 Montelena, but younger. Very youthful, but can easily be enjoyed today, or cellared for 20 or more years

Thick, rich, concentrated and opulent. Reminds of the 91 Montelena, but younger. Very youthful, but can easily be enjoyed today, or cellared for 20 or more years

4,911 Views   Tasted
1995
91
According to my last note, from 5 years ago, the wine showed a marked green streak. I had forgotten all about it. Popped and poured, that is still the overriding characteristic. The wine is concentrated, big and with loads of fruit, earth and tobacco, but the green streak paints a wide swath down the middle of your palate. Those who long for old school Cabernet, when pyrazines were a big part of the picture will probably love it.

According to my last note, from 5 years ago, the wine showed a marked green streak. I had forgotten all about it. Popped and poured, that is still the overriding characteristic. The wine is concentrated, big and with loads of fruit, earth and tobacco, but the green streak paints a wide swath down the middle of your palate. Those who long for old school Cabernet, when pyrazines were a big part of the picture will probably love it.

4,835 Views   Tasted
Fresh, ripe cherries and cassis in the aromatics, bright, crisp, fresh with a distinctive herbal, green pepper tint on the palate.

Fresh, ripe cherries and cassis in the aromatics, bright, crisp, fresh with a distinctive herbal, green pepper tint on the palate.

4,096 Views   Tasted
1994
92
Traditional in style, with cassis, blackberry, tobacco, spice and forest aromas, the wine is concentrated, youthful and crisp, ending in a big, chewy layer of dark red fruits. Clearly this is well made, but perhaps it's not the most exciting style of wine.

Traditional in style, with cassis, blackberry, tobacco, spice and forest aromas, the wine is concentrated, youthful and crisp, ending in a big, chewy layer of dark red fruits. Clearly this is well made, but perhaps it's not the most exciting style of wine.

4,171 Views   Tasted
Offering spice box, truffle, dark berries, smoke and tobacco on the nose. This full bodied wine ended with ample black cherry, but there was some tartness noted in the final notes.

Offering spice box, truffle, dark berries, smoke and tobacco on the nose. This full bodied wine ended with ample black cherry, but there was some tartness noted in the final notes.

7,103 Views   Tasted
Deep, intense flavors that continue expanding in the glass. This is a serious wine in a classic, non culty style. Classy, not flashy. Still young.

Deep, intense flavors that continue expanding in the glass. This is a serious wine in a classic, non culty style. Classy, not flashy. Still young.

3,717 Views   Tasted
1991
95
Still going strong, it's impossible to believe this wine is 25 years of age, due to all the freshness, vibrancy and clean, ripe, cassis that shines through. Full bodied, richly textured and concentrated, you can pop a bottle today with pleasure. But if you forget about a few bottles for another decade, I am sure they will be just as good in the future as well.

Still going strong, it's impossible to believe this wine is 25 years of age, due to all the freshness, vibrancy and clean, ripe, cassis that shines through. Full bodied, richly textured and concentrated, you can pop a bottle today with pleasure. But if you forget about a few bottles for another decade, I am sure they will be just as good in the future as well.

4,749 Views   Tasted
Great nose, body, palate presence and filled with ripe cassis, spice, herbs and chocolate. This has a good future ahead of it. Great stuff! If you’re a fan of classic California Cabs.

Great nose, body, palate presence and filled with ripe cassis, spice, herbs and chocolate. This has a good future ahead of it. Great stuff! If you’re a fan of classic California Cabs.

3,495 Views   Tasted
The color remains dark with almost no lightening at the edges. Blackberries, cassis, oak, coffee, licorice and eucalyptus notes on the nose. Thick, chewy, full-bodied texture. Very concentrated. Black & red fruits with, chocolate covered raisins meshed well with the long lasting, slightly dusty finish.

The color remains dark with almost no lightening at the edges. Blackberries, cassis, oak, coffee, licorice and eucalyptus notes on the nose. Thick, chewy, full-bodied texture. Very concentrated. Black & red fruits with, chocolate covered raisins meshed well with the long lasting, slightly dusty finish.

3,709 Views   Tasted
1987
89
Better on the nose than with the classic, Cabernet Sauvignon filled palate. The wine, while concentrated with good materials, falls short on the finish, which shows and rustic quality to the texture and a greenness in its flavors. This is quite strict in its character and there is an austerity on the profile that some tasters will like more than I did.

Better on the nose than with the classic, Cabernet Sauvignon filled palate. The wine, while concentrated with good materials, falls short on the finish, which shows and rustic quality to the texture and a greenness in its flavors. This is quite strict in its character and there is an austerity on the profile that some tasters will like more than I did.

3,797 Views   Tasted
1985
93
If you’re seeking a classic California Cabernet Sauvignon to stack up against upper level Bordeaux in a blind tasting, this is the wine. Still young, fresh, vibrant and fruit filled, the wine is concentrated, balanced, rich, complex and aromatic.

If you’re seeking a classic California Cabernet Sauvignon to stack up against upper level Bordeaux in a blind tasting, this is the wine. Still young, fresh, vibrant and fruit filled, the wine is concentrated, balanced, rich, complex and aromatic.

4,621 Views   Tasted
1977
93
1977 Montelena starts with tobacco, earth, cassis and spice aromas. Full bodied and filled with chewy cassis and coca flavors. This powerful, old school California Cab still has a lot to offer. 93 Pts

1977 Montelena starts with tobacco, earth, cassis and spice aromas. Full bodied and filled with chewy cassis and coca flavors. This powerful, old school California Cab still has a lot to offer. 93 Pts

4,490 Views   Tasted
1974
90
At close to 45 years of age, this still has its old school charm intact, with its tobacco, cedar wood, cassis and tart, red berry profile. Medium/full bodied, and with a bit too much tart over sweet fruit, with rustic tannins in the finish, it's still a fun look back at the old school, California Cabernet Sauvignon.

At close to 45 years of age, this still has its old school charm intact, with its tobacco, cedar wood, cassis and tart, red berry profile. Medium/full bodied, and with a bit too much tart over sweet fruit, with rustic tannins in the finish, it's still a fun look back at the old school, California Cabernet Sauvignon.

3,170 Views   Tasted