2023 Chateau Montelena - Chardonnay Napa (750ml)

Chateau Montelena was founded in 1882 when Alfred Tubbs bought land at the foot of Mount Saint Helena near Calistoga. Jim Barrett revived the estate in the early 1970s, and his 1973 Chardonnay topped white Burgundies at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. His son Bo Barrett now leads the winery as CEO alongside winemaker Matthew Crafton.

The 2023 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley is 100% Chardonnay from sustainably farmed vines aged 10 to 40 years, rooted in gravelly alluvial loam. Harvest ran from September 8 to October 10, 2023, in a vintage the winery counts among its best. Fermentation uses indigenous yeast, and the wine avoids malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness. It aged ten months in French oak, 25 percent new, before bottling in summer 2024 at 13.9 percent alcohol.

Pale golden straw in the glass, this California Chardonnay opens with green apple, citrus, honeysuckle and orange blossom. Pear, white peach and a touch of tropical starfruit build on the palate, with a flinty mineral thread beneath. Bright acidity keeps the texture juicy and precise, while French oak and vanilla stay subtle. The finish is long and clean, and the structure suggests years of graceful cellaring.