TN: 1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Cuvée

  • 1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Cuvée - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/6/2020)
    The debut vintage for the Calistoga Cuvee…i’ve been drinkin these off and on from release, and it has always been a huge qpr wine…one to drink while you wait for the Estate to age into its sweet spot. My last bottle, 5yrs ago, was starting to tire, but hung in there. This bottle seems to be holding up better. Soft, silky, and subtle wine here…a fine claret in style…the fruit is still juicy and somewhat sweet…plum, cherry, currant, cassis…shows a little plum skin sour which kind of freshens up the wine. Very elegant and caressing…just the slightest bit dusty dry tannin left…lovely aged cab flavors of leather, cigar box, wintergreen tobacco, anise…all well integrated and sensual. Great vintage, great producer, great wine! (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Do they still call this the Calistoga?

I think 1999 was the last. Now it’s just Napa Valley.

I cherish the 1991 California reds. To me, so many wines of this vintage carry a bold tannin structure, without being unbalanced or hard.

I have not tried the 1991 Calistoga Cuvee, but the 1991 estate IMHO is one of the best wines Chateau Montelena has made.

What I really liked about the 1991’s was they generally had a food friendly verve to so many of them. But its been quite some time since I’ve had any other than a really solid 91 Chappellet last summer.

Howard Cooper wrote:
I have not tried the 1991 Calistoga Cuvee, but the 1991 estate IMHO is one of the best wines Chateau Montelena has made.

Agree. The 1991 Estate is one of the best California Cabernet’s that I have ever had. We have two bottles left that we are looking to hold on to until the 30 year mark next year.

Ed