Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
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.
Driven by dark fruit, predominantly blackberry and cassis, the aromas are rich and intense. They are closely followed by spicy clove and vanilla before yielding to pipe tobacco and a touch of caramel. On the palate, the tannins are quite supple and dance between elevating the subtle streak of minerality and foiling the acid that slices through the body of the wine with zest and freshness. Strawberry and cranberry sauce highlight the transition to the finish and apex as the breadth of the wine expands. Here the tannins are more sandy, but they are a fine contrast to the soft, sweet fruit, expressing now as cola, graphite and black cherry.
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal Composition | 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
| Designation | AVA |
| Aging | 16 Months, French and Eastern European Oak, 30% New |
| Alcohol | 14.20% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | California |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
