- 2013 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga (1/9/2026)
First bottle I have opened from a solid six pack that was left in my late father’s cellar, though I gave one to a friend.
Opened about 90 minutes ahead, and while not closed in it was certainly dense - a Cabernet dwarf star of a wine. By the time dinner rolled around it was still coiled up, but starting to put out little bits and pieces. There was a touch of dark chocolate, some dark black fruit (cassis, plum maybe), and a lumbering, gravelly earthiness. It really did not want to be disturbed. The structure seemed properly balanced, so I don’t worry about cellaring it, but it’s more my own mortality that could be the limiting factor for my remaining bottles.
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The best Montelena’s I’ve had have been either very young or 15 to 20 years old. From your notes, could be a good one in another 7 to 10 years.