Château Montelena

Calistoga, US

Château Montelena is a curious proposition: after all, how many other Napa Valley wineries have an ivy-swathed 19th-century chateau at their heart? Extraordinary as it may be, though, this Gothic-inspired construction isn't the most remarkable thing about the estate. For this is a winery that doesn't just look to history for inspiration; it's perfectly capable of making history itself. In 1976, the estate's 1973 chardonnay – only its second vintage under the Barrett family, which still owns the place today – triumphed at the Judgment of Paris, a blind tasting pitting Californian wines against some of the finest France had to offer. Today, however, Montelena's flagship wine is its Estate cabernet sauvignon – and visitors have the opportunity to taste it, alongside that celebrated chardonnay, inside the chateau itself, after taking in the beauty of the estate's serene Jade Lake and Chinese-style gardens. Expect an otherworldly, incongruous mixture of weeping trees, a snaking red bridge and a green-roofed pavilion, all framed by towering redwoods and vineyard views.

Key Information

• Opening times: Mon – Sun, 9.30am-4pm
• Signature wine: Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• Wines produced: Red and white
• Grape varieties: Cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, petite sirah, cabernet franc, petit verdot
• Tasting options
• Time from airport: 40 mins from Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport
• Visit Château Montelena 's website

Location

1429 Tubbs Ln, Calistoga, California, 94515