Rating 95
Style Red
Variety
Vintage 2019
Appellation
Napa Valley
Napa County
North Coast
California
USA
ABV 14.1%
Price $200.00  Buy This Wine
Print Shelf Talker
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2025-01-09

Perfect For

Holiday Meals, Special Occasion Splurges, Treat Yo'self

Drink If You Like

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Review

Château Montelena is one of the most famed estates in Napa Valley, since the winery’s Chardonnay won the top prize against some of Burgundy’s finest wines in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. While it still makes stunning expressions of Chardonnay, this Cabernet Sauvignon also wows. Yes, it is young and still aging, but this wine is drinking wonderfully right now and will keep going.

Sipping this wine, it feels like enjoying a bottle from somewhere else, maybe across the pond, with its balance and grace. At the same time it is evident that this is truly an American wine. The nose is elegant with restrained red and blue fruits and hints of earth. When the wine hits your palate you're welcomed with plump blackberry and plum fruit, framed by prominent tannins. This wine is built to enjoy with food now, but will evolve and soften over time.

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Pros And Cons

Pros
  • Delicious, complex wine
  • Great for food pairings
  • Renowned Napa Valley producer
Cons
  • On the pricier side

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95
POINTS
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Château Montelena is one of the most famed estates in Napa Valley, since the winery’s Chardonnay won the top prize against some of Burgundy’s finest wines in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. While it still makes stunning expressions of Chardonnay, this Cabernet Sauvignon also wows. Yes, it is young and still aging, but this wine is drinking wonderfully right now and will keep going. Sipping this wine, it feels like enjoying a bottle from somewhere else, maybe across the pond, with its balance and grace. At the same time it is evident that this is truly an American wine. The nose is elegant with restrained red and blue fruits and hints of earth. When the wine hits your palate you're welcomed with plump blackberry and plum fruit, framed by prominent tannins. This wine is built to enjoy with food now, but will evolve and soften over time.

Reviewed On: 05-08-2023
95
POINTS
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Château Montelena is one of the most famed estates in Napa Valley, since the winery’s Chardonnay won the top prize against some of Burgundy’s finest wines in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. While it still makes stunning expressions of Chardonnay, this Cabernet Sauvignon also wows. Yes, it is young and still aging, but this wine is drinking wonderfully right now and will keep going. Sipping this wine, it feels like enjoying a bottle from somewhere else, maybe across the pond, with its balance and grace. At the same time it is evident that this is truly an American wine. The nose is elegant with restrained red and blue fruits and hints of earth. When the wine hits your palate you're welcomed with plump blackberry and plum fruit, framed by prominent tannins. This wine is built to enjoy with food now, but will evolve and soften over time.

Reviewed On: 05-08-2023