Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021
Time is the critical element in Montelena wines. It’s the opposite of “best practices” in agriculture and the standardized, proverbial focus on being lean and efficient. Luxury embodies time. It’s in the nature of vineyard expression over the course of an entire year, or the expression of site over the decades. A wine’s maturation in barrel is delineated as a function of time, despite its inherent complexity. This, in turn, is reflected in the patience of discovery: the anticipation of a wine’s future development in bottle. Most importantly, it’s the time taken to savor a glass–and the moment–when it’s finally opened to be enjoyed and shared.
The aromatic diversity here is breathtaking. The wine cleanly and discreetly checks off all of the boxes of a great vintage. Orange blossom? Yes. Green apple? Plentiful. White peach? Absolutely. In warm years, the wines can occasionally lean too tropical in aroma, but that isn’t the case here. The floral notes of chamomile and honeysuckle moderate the grandeur of the fruit but also slowly subside to unveil lemon balm, cinnamon and mint.
The parade of bright, zesty fruit continues on the palate, but it’s just the beginning. The wine’s texture and energy are on full display, brimming with minerality, lemon curd and crème brûlée. The delicate balance between the spine of acidity and the breadth of flavor is both dynamic and fluid. The ripe melon notes are particularly captivating, lending freshness and richness. While there are some soft barrel undertones magnified by a subtle chalkiness, it will take some time before this additional layer matches the surrounding opulence.
The finish initially leans exotic and tropical, first as banana and then as starfruit before slowly yielding to D’Anjou pear and baking spice. Again, the texture here is beautifully integrated but still developing. For now, it’s easy enough to enjoy the candied citrus, vanilla and marzipan.
