Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa 2006

The famed descendant of the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the Paris tasting of 1976, I did not know what to expect.  Sometimes, all that is left of a winery after the passage of time is nothing more than a name.

The first thing that stands out in this wine is the depth and creaminess. There is a lot of butterscotch.  It is heavy on white peaches and lemon zest.  There is some ripe, fresh  pineapple and some hibiscus, which give a tropical element.  There is also some chalkiness to it, although very subtle, and quite a bit of of oak tannin.  

On the palate, there is a lot of citrus with an abundance of fresh lemon and orange blossom.  There is cinnamon and vanilla as well.  The lemon and vanilla continue through the lengthy finish.

The 2006 Chateau Monelena Chardonnay lives up to it's name insomuch as it is an outstanding Napa Chardonnay.  However, it does not demonstrate the Burgundian style I had imagined and hoped for (too much oak goshdangit!!!)  If only I could get my hands on a bottle of that 1973!

Tasted 1-2-09

Alcohol 13.8%

$40 (in the tasting room)

New Years Eve 2008! Argyle Extended Tirage Brut Willamette Valley 1998

For New Years Eve 2007 we toasted with the 1997 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut and decided that it dominates over Dom Perignon.  Therefore, there was no better choice for 2008, than the 1998 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut.  It did not hurt that the 1998 was #17 on the Wine Spectator top 100.  

At first glance, I was a bit surprised at how different the 1998 looked than the 1997.  The 1997 was the slightest bit pink, while the 1998 was a very clear pale yellow.  The 1998 is composed of 15% Pinot Noir and 85% Chardonnay, so maybe this offers some explanation.  The bubbles were still teeny tiny, abundant, and well-concentrated.

The pear really stands out in the 1998.  There is also MacIntosh apple, and lots of lemon.  It has a very creamy texture...like a lemon souffle.  There is a hint of orange blossom on the back of the palate- think driving through an orange grove in the spring and breathing in the air.  There is nice citrus and wet stone on the palate, while the high bubble concentration tickles the tongue.  

The 1998 is not as fruity as the 1997.  It brings to mind a traditional French Champagne, rather than a new world sparkler.  It is also lighter, with a nicer texture and finish.  It is literally something I could just keep drinking forever, although I would not want to experience the outcome.

Tasted New Years Eve 12-31-08

Alcohol 13%

$60+ (if you can find it)

Sanford La Rinconada Vineyard Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2006

For Christmas, my favorite (and only) Brother-in-Law brought us my favorite wine: Pinot Noir! 

From one of my favorite Pinot Noir regions, Santa Rita Hills, this is a nice example of this varietal.  The nose is a wonderful mixture of black cherry, strawberry, red raspberry, milk chocolate, nutmeg, red licorice, and rose petal potpourri.  There are also hints of cigar box and stones.  

It is definitely better on the nose than on the palate.  It is a bit high in acidity.  It also has some heat to it, which leads me to believe it's more like 16% acidity than the 14.5% it states on the bottle.  

This Sanford Pinot has a nice cherry-berry finish, if only it could last a little longer.  All in all, a wonderfully enjoyable Pinot and a perfect Christmas present.

Tasted 12-28-08

Alcohol 14.5%

*It was a gift and it would be tacky to list the price

Chateau Montelena Riesling Potter Valley 2007

I confess, I pre-tasted this in the Chateau Montelena tasting room.  However, this time I was able to fully enjoy everything it had to offer.

The nose on this wine is so refreshing- perfect for any food or a warm summer day.  There is ripe pineapple, pink grapefruit, and green apple, lime and honeysuckle.  It reveals itself as a Riesling at first sniff.  

I suspect this wine to be slightly off-dry, although the label does not specify.  Time to dust off my chemistry kit and find out, I guess.  There is a slate characteristic to it.  It has ample acidity, which would make it perfect with almost any food.

There is an element to this Riesling that is very reminiscent of candied pineapple.  The finish is long and tropical and lemon citrus driven.

Tasted 12-21-08

Acohol 12.9%

$22.00 in the tasting room

Napa Valley 12/20/08

In keeping with our routine of visiting Napa as often as possible, we decided to take my Father in Law there for a day trip.  It was a beautiful, clear, and freezing cold day, which proved to be perfect for tasting!  Gone was the normal Forever 21 clad, barfly Napa tasting room crowd.  A perfect day for those serious about their sniffing.  We started out at our favorite burger joint, Taylors, for an icy cold lunch and we were on our way.

Our first stop was Charles Krug.  The first bonded winery in Napa Valley, Krug was purchased by Cesare Mondavi (Robert's Dad).  His son, Peter Mondavi and family continue to operate the winery.  We all know what happened to his son Bob and his little establishment down in Oakville.  We tasted some decent wines here.  Our favorite was the 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, but at $120 a pop, we didn't trust ourselves to get it home safely.  We left with a nice Pinot from Russian River Valley.  We did take a couple of photos there of the historic plaque as well as the sweeping views of the Mayacamas moutains.

Next on our list was farther North up by Calistoga.  The famed Chateau Montelena winery.  Purchased by Jim Barrett in the late 1960s, the old lady is known for her the 1976 win for the 1973 Chardonnay in Paris.  This has been immortalized in the current flick "Bottle Shock."  They even have one of the original bottles on display in a classy plexiglass case, as seen in the photo.  The Chateau itself is absolutely majestic and situated on a duck pond.  It looks more European than Calistogan (is that a word?)  Anyway, we tried a terrific Riesling, a steal at $22 (see post).  They were not pouring the Chardonnay, being that it is so famous and all.  We did bring home a bottle of that too (see post).  

We topped off our day with a trip to Mumm Sparkling Wine.  The tasting room is great, as you actually get to sit an enjoy the scenery while your server pours a flight of sparklers.  My father and law felt this would be a great opportunity to pull out his iPhone and play some Frank Sinatra for all of us.  The bubbly was great nonetheless and the views were breathtaking.  

After our usual coffee and cookie stop at Bouchon in St. Helena, we were headed for home.  Another fantastic day in Napa!

Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza 2004

Riojas are hit or miss for me and this one is definitely a hit!

Bursting with red cherries, red raspberries, and plums,  this Rioja is a fruit forward delight. There are notes of dried rose petals, dried hay, red clay, and cigar box.  Other notes include cinnamon, vanilla, and marzipan.  The palate is very fruit forward and dominated by cranberry and raspberry, and spicy black pepper.  The lengthy  finish is nutty and mineral-driven.

This fantastic Rioja paired nicely with Sonoma cheddar, but would complement pizza just perfectly.

13.5% alcohol

$15

Tasted 12/13/08

Hess Collection Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2003

To open or not to open?  That was the question with this 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Longing for a nice, refined Cab I decided there was nothing to lose.

True to it's mountain roots,  the wine is packed with wild boysenberry.  In addition,  there are notes of dried black cherries, black plums, and cassis.  Also present, are tar and black earth aromas.  There is cocoa powder and vanilla,  and black coffee.  Delving even deeper, there are also herbal qualities of mint, dill, and thyme.

On the palate, this Mt. Veeder gem is reminiscent of berry pie.  There are condensed berries with pie crust qualities.  It has a nice, velvety mouthfeel.  The finish was dried-fruit driven with some caramel on the return.

Could this wine have waited longer to be opened?  Most likely, but it could not get much more complex and enjoyable than it is now.

14.5% alcohol

$40.00

opened 12/07/08