NEWBIE INTRO: Montagu Wines

Greetings everyone, my name is Weston Eidson and I am the owner and winemaker of Montagu Wines. I am extremely excited to be a part of BerserkerDay this year!

Montagu Wines is a boutique winery dedicated to showcasing wine from some of the finest vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma. Each wine is a true expression of the world-class terroir from which it comes. Dedicated to minimal intervention in the winery, Montagu allows each wine to naturally express its authentic and full potential.

I started Montagu in 2012 and, from the very beginning, I’ve continued to focus on extremely limited production. Working with mentors Jason Moore and Russell Bevan, Montagu is committed to producing wines that are richly layered, complex and balanced.

It was important to me that the name of the wine label be symbolic, as such, Montagu Wines is a tribute to my great-grandfather John, the second Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and a British automotive pioneer who was responsible for early automotive legislation. He was also the first person to drive an automobile to Parliament, gave the future Edward VII his first car ride, and whose assistant served as the model for the iconic Rolls-Royce hood ornament known as the Spirit of Ecstasy. His son, and my great-uncle Edward, the third Lord of Montagu, continued his father’s legacy by founding Britain’s National Motor Museum and worked tirelessly to promote the heritage and preservation of British history. He was also a lover of wine and produced his own from a vineyard he planted in Southern England. Both my great-grandfather and great-uncle led innovative and adventurous lives and it is my hope that you discover this spirit and zest for life in each bottle of Montagu Wine.

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Our wines:

2015 Montagu Wines “The Baron” Cabernet Sauvignon-
This is a brooding and prodigal Cabernet Sauvignon that comes exclusively from one of the most historic vineyards in the heart of Rutherford. Inky, purple-colored with notes of cassis, violets, graphite, mocha and a hint of the famous Rutherford dust.
-Barrel fermentations
-26 months French Oak aging (100% new)
-130 cases produced

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2016 Montagu Wines Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir-
From the historic Bacigalupi Vineyard on Westside Road in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Beautiful aromatics jump from the glass while juicy dark red fruit, bing cherry, raspberry, cola and earthy undertones of pine straw and spice fill out the palate. The silky texture from the polished tannins leads to an expansive mid palate and a lingering bright finish.
-100% French Oak aging, 40% new
-170 cases produced

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2016 Montagu Wines Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay-
From the world class Ritchie Vineyard in the heart of the Russian River Valley, this chardonnay is rich, powerful, and driven by layers of white peach, candied orange peel and lemon curd. Brightness balances the wine and is a hallmark of classic Ritchie Vineyard chardonnay. This wine was fermented in French barrels (100% new) and spent a year in barrel leading to wonderfully balanced oak integration while sur lee aging developed depth and complexity.
-Barrel fermentation
-12 months sur lee aging in barrel
-90 cases produced

We also have a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the Las Trancas vineyard.

We are fortunate to be able to use Brasswood’s custom crush facility in St. Helena, so if you are ever out our way, please stop by. We are proud to be a part of some of the largest caves in all of Napa Valley! http://www.montaguwines.com

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One more Newbie Intro just posted!

Thanks Todd!

Welcome, Weston! Great to have you on board . . .

And I can see your influences there with the percentage of new oak used :slight_smile: Have you experimented with less new oak to see what the results are? Just curious . . .

Can’t wait to jump in and try some of your wines this year hopefully.

Cheers!

Hi Larry! Thank you for the kind sentiment. I’m very happy to be involved!

To answer your question, yes, in the past I have used less new oak but the longer I have worked with certain vineyards, I’ve found a really beautiful balance and blend of coopers that I’ve been able to dial in that fits my personal style while also trying my best to accentuate the character of the vineyard.

2016 is the first vintage where I’ve been able to utilize the Ritchie vineyard fruit, and in comparison to our Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, there is no doubt that the oak has more of a presence in this chardonnay from start to finish. Our Durell Chardonnay is more mineral-driven, whereas the Ritchie fruit has this great waxy type character that comes through nicely with the oak, without it being over-oaked.

As for our reds, specifically our cabernet, though I can’t state the name of the vineyard we use for our cabernet, the use of oak has been its best friend. A lot of the dusty components you get with Rutherford vineyards plays well here.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these wines in the event you decide to pull the trigger!

Ritchie Vineyard. Nice. Gonna have to take a look at this one when the offer is live.

Yes, we are very excited with our new Ritchie Chardonnay! It is showing all the classic notes of typical Ritchie fruit and has evolved absolutely beautifully. This was such a joy to check in on and taste while in barrel. Consulting winemaker Russell Bevan had his hand in this as he has had such incredible success with this vineyard.

I hope you are able to find out for yourself!

Great to see Weston here on Berserkers. I’ve had the good fortune to drink Weston’s wines, and to get to drink other wines with him as well. He has a great palate and an incredible passion for making wine. Had his 2015 Syrah blind with a large group, and when revealed, most everyone wanted to buy more. Great vineyard sources, great guy, and great wine.

Can’t wait to buy some more.

Hey Eric, thanks for the kind words! That Syrah is tasting great right now. Looking forward to sharing wine with you again soon!

Cheers!