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  • Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 750 ml

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 750 ml

Country: United States /

Region: California /

Style: Wine /

Size: 750 ml /

Vintage: 2021 /

Sku: 7951

Decanter98 Points
The Wine Advocate97 Points
$205.99
1 - 5
$205.99
6 +
$185.33

Details

Details

*Vintage may vary by location*

It’s an elegant introduction for this wine on the nose with perfectly ripe blackberry and cranberry sauce notes. Given its youth, it’s not surprising that the aromatics are dominated by fruit and earthy vineyard character punctuated by hints of black pepper and cedar. An ambitious swirl of the glass reveals additional layers of mint, cassis and black cherry. The palate is intense, to say the least, as the tight, angular tannins vie with silky bright fruit for dominance. There’s a youthful exuberance here as well that’s both hedonistic and magnetic, tied to fresh strawberry and sweet, raspberry candy. The acid runs the seam of the wine like a spine, from which build stacks upon stacks of chalky, dense tannin. With some additional air, the wine’s breadth begins to reveal itself with mouthcoating texture, black plum and mocha. The finish on this wine doesn’t quit. It just keeps evolving through coffee bean, then vanilla and finally dried blackberry. These slowly morph both texturally and in flavor into fresh walnut and dark chocolate. It’s delicious now but will reward with additional patience and time in glass.



• 94.1% Cabernet Sauvignon • 4.9% Cabernet Franc • 1% Petit Verdot

Suggested Food Pairing:

Beef
Charcuterie-Cheese
Lamb

Reviews

Decanter98 Points
The Wine Advocate97 Points
DC Decanter: 98 Points
The Montelena Estate is a gorgeous wine in 2021, built of 94.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.9% Cabernet Franc, and 1.0% Petit Verdot, aged 22 months in 45% new French oak. It is super bright and wonderfully aromatic with gorgeous light brown spices, white pepper, and sagebrush. Medium-bodied with cranberry and huckleberry fruits, they have very ripe and powerful tannins with supreme granularity and a fine, pinpoint, pixelated texture. Fantastic, linear, and racy acidity brings this wine into focus. Tasted with winemaker Matt Crafton at Chateau Montelena, Crafton explained that 'the aromatic potential of the vintage leapt out.' For him, the challenge was to reflect the concentration and richness and keep the fresh aromatics. So he moved to very light toast barrels in this vintage.
WA The Wine Advocate: 97 Points
Winemaker Matt Crafton showed me a sample of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (Montelena didn't pick any red grapes in 2020) that he said represented, "kind of what I think the Cabernet Sauvignon portion will look like." It reveals engaging floral nuances, intense red fruit notes and hints of cedar and vanilla. As yet, it's not quite as opulent as the 2019 but maybe a touch more elegant yet concentrated and boldly flavored.