Chateau Montelena Napa County | Calistoga, CA

Chateau Montelena Wine Tasting Notes

The first thing I think when driving up to this wonderfully wooded setting is that I'm entering a fairy tale. The big, castle-like structure makes me feel like I'm gonna meet a princess named Riesling.

In the small, but elegant tasting room, you'll find lots of evidence that Chateau Montelena was one of the wineries made famous by the 1976 Paris tasting that put California on the map, (not to mention the books and movies about the same). Come for the Chardonnay, but stay for the Estate Zin, the Estate Cab, and yes, the Riesling!

The staff is friendly and know their wines. We had a good experience at the bar, although the $15 tasting fee is a bit steep and the fee is NOT applied to a bottle purchase.

The grounds are a treat to explore, as well. Make your way past the bocci court down to Jade Pond, and stroll among the wild flowers and water fowl.

I would imagine that after the movies about the '76 Paris wine tasting, (which feature Chateau Montelena), it's going to be pretty crowded most of the time, especially on weekends. So I'd save this one for a weekday, if you can.

The property is a bit out of the way if you're spending the day in lower Napa, but if you're up in the Calistoga area make this one of your stops.

Chateau Montelena Wines

Pick	Rating	Vintage	Type	Varietal	Name
	94	2004	Red	Zinfandel	Montelena Estate Zinfandel
	91	2006	White	Riesling	Potter Valley Riesling
	89	2005	White	Chardonnay	Napa Valley Chardonnay