1994 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet

[hautbrionlover]

I’ve never made a secret of my fondness for Chateau Montelena, especially the Estate Cab, which we’ve bought every year since the 1990, and tonight reminded me why we love it. For a belated birthday celebration tonight for my wife, with most of our adult kids in attendance (plus two grandchildren who are a little too young to appreciate Montelena), I opened the 1994 with some thick-cut Prime Porterhouses on the grill.
The steaks were delicious and the wine was excellent. Still relatively youthful in appearance, the wine was fragrant with red and black currant, with a hint of fresh raspberries and violets. On the palate, it was medium-bodied, big with black currant and a little plum, and amazing freshness and balance that made it very bright and lively. An easy 94.

[Nicklasss]

Nice report hautbrionlover.

I did not had Montelena (regular cuvée and Estate) very often but liked it too each time i tried it.

I brought a 2008 Montelena Estate at the 2015 BWE convention in Bordeaux. I opened it at a lunch in Langon and while young, it was excellent.

[DavidG]

The Montelena Estate is one of my favorite Napa cabs. I’ve been buying them since 1984. It’s also a beautiful place to visit. A picnic lunch on one of the little islands there on a sunny day before or after a tasting is pretty sweet.