Chance favors the prepared mind. Louis Pasteur realized that success flows not only from insight but also good fortune. That duality appropriately applies to the challenging but ultimately gratifying 2020 vintage.
During most growing seasons, the progression beginning with ripening in the vineyard and flowing through to harvest is methodical and calculated. With our optimal Napa Valley climate, ideal soils and a stellar track record of wines, it’s seductive to believe that every vintage will proceed as planned. But at Montelena, we know that history has proven otherwise and that the paradigm can shift at any moment, so we prepare.
Our team, equipment, and methodology are flexible and malleable precisely to account for the unforeseen. It’s manifested in shaping each individual wine to reflect the growing season. It’s also evident when the unpredictable occurs; in this case, the entire 2020 Chardonnay harvest was compressed into one week, a far cry from 15 to 30 days in most years. Luckily, we had the good fortune of a remarkable growing season and exceptional ripeness. Our success in creating this delicious wine was solidified by the unshakeable dedication and expertise of our team.
-Winemaker Matt Crafton
Chateau Montelena Winery, originally called A.L. Tubbs winery after its founder Alfred Tubbs, was established in 1882, and was originally intended as a barrel-aging facility. The renaissance of the winery, under the leadership of James Barrett, began in 1972 with the replanting of the Estate vineyard. In 1976, Chateau Montelena put California at the forefront of the wine world. Pitted against four White Burgandies and six California Chardonnays, Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay was rated the best by a team of who’s-who of the French wine and food establishment at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Paris. This actualized the Chateau Montelena philosophy: “Make the best, period”.
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