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2004 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Removed from a subterranean, temperature and humidity controlled residential cellar; Purchased direct from winery

4 available
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Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

94+ Robert M. Parker Jr.

...sweet tannin in a broad, flavorful, concentrated style with plenty of black currant, licorice, and spice...beautifully textured...another beauty from probably the most consistent winery for Cabernet Sauvignon over the last three decades.

93Stephen Tanzer

Aromas of cassis, licorice, dark chocolate and menthol. Dense, thick and powerful, with a chewy texture and impressive concentration to the plummy fruit.

17.5Jancis Robinson

Intriguing nose of camphor, leafy herbs, toasty oak and deep black fruit. Ripe fruit palate with gentle herbs and pencil lead. Fine balance, substantial tannins and brisk acidity. (LM)

REGION

United States, California, Napa Valley

Napa Valley AVA is the most famous winemaking region in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. With nearly 43,000 acres of vineyards and more than 300 wineries, it is the heart of fine wine production in the United States. Winemaking started in Napa in 1838 when George C. Yount planted grapes and began producing wine commercially. Other winemaking pioneers followed in the late 19th century, including the founders of Charles Krug, Schramsberg, Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards. An infestation of phylloxera, an insect that attacks vine roots, and the onset of Prohibition nearly wiped out the nascent Napa wine industry in the early 20th century. But by the late 1950s and early 1960s Robert Mondavi and other visionaries were producing quality wines easily distinguishable from the mass-produced jug wines made in California’s Central Valley. Napa Valley’s AVA was established in 1983, and today there are 16 sub-appellations within the Napa Valley AVA. Many grapes grow well in Napa’s Mediterranean climate, but the region is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is also very successfully cultivated, and about 30% of the AVA’s acreage is planted to white grapes, with the majority of those grapes being Chardonnay,

TYPE

Red Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.