Calistoga wineries

[Howard_Cooper]

No question, Carter/Myriad and Larkmead. Two of the best winemakers in Napa, Mike Smith and Dan Petroski. For food, I’d take Blarmston’s recommendation and head to Saint Helena, nothing extraordinary “yet” in Calistoga.

Chateau Montelena?

[Steve_Crawford]

peter michael.

[JohnP]

No question, Carter/Myriad and Larkmead. Two of the best winemakers in Napa, Mike Smith and Dan Petroski. For food, I’d take Blarmston’s recommendation and head to Saint Helena, nothing extraordinary “yet” in Calistoga.

Chateau Montelena?

Definitely add CM to the list, but personally I’d only recommend driving up there to take a few pics of the estate and head straight to Carter for a tasting of their SVs before they sellout. For the same premium today on CM’s estate cab, you can get Beckstoffer wines. Just my personal preference.

[Bdklein]

Schramsberg

[M_Taylor]

I agree on Kelly Fleming.

Other suggestions (both small production):

Perliss (nice cab, also a rose and a 100% Semillon). Aaron Pott is the winemaker.

The Vineyardist. All cab, all very good. Mark Herold is the winemaker.

All three of these have nice properties and good people.

[Howard_Cooper]

No question, Carter/Myriad and Larkmead. Two of the best winemakers in Napa, Mike Smith and Dan Petroski. For food, I’d take Blarmston’s recommendation and head to Saint Helena, nothing extraordinary “yet” in Calistoga.

Chateau Montelena?

Definitely add CM to the list, but personally I’d only recommend driving up there to take a few pics of the estate and head straight to Carter for a tasting of their SVs before they sellout. For the same premium today on CM’s estate cab, you can get Beckstoffer wines. Just my personal preference.

At what age do you drink your California Cabernet?

[JohnP]

Chateau Montelena?

Definitely add CM to the list, but personally I’d only recommend driving up there to take a few pics of the estate and head straight to Carter for a tasting of their SVs before they sellout. For the same premium today on CM’s estate cab, you can get Beckstoffer wines. Just my personal preference.

At what age do you drink your California Cabernet?

I get your drift. Personally 5-20 years. However, I still think the Carter wines in great vintages (2013 & 2015) will be holding up in 25-30 years alongside CM’s estate, just with more “umph”.

[Howard_Cooper]

Definitely add CM to the list, but personally I’d only recommend driving up there to take a few pics of the estate and head straight to Carter for a tasting of their SVs before they sellout. For the same premium today on CM’s estate cab, you can get Beckstoffer wines. Just my personal preference.

At what age do you drink your California Cabernet?

I get your drift. Personally 5-20 years. However, I still think the Carter wines in great vintages (2013 & 2015) will be holding up in 25-30 years alongside CM’s estate, just with more “umph”.

Any evidence of this or is it based on hope and prayers? Virtually every Chateau Montelena estate Cabernet ever made is still drinking well. Given the 40+ year track record of Chateau Montelena, how can anyone state that from an objective perspective “nothing extraordinary ‘yet’ in Calistoga”? It is fine and well to have personal opinions but going based purely on personal opinion is really misleading to the OP.

[Bill_Tex_Landreth]

Given the 40+ year track record of Chateau Montelena, how can anyone state that from an objective perspective “nothing extraordinary ‘yet’ in Calistoga”? It is fine and well to have personal opinions but going based purely on personal opinion is really misleading to the OP.

I am pretty sure that comment is directed toward the food scene.

[Chris_Atkins]

I totally agree with Howard on this one. Château Montelena is the call. Matt Crafton has elevated the Estate Cabernet up another level.

[JohnP]

At what age do you drink your California Cabernet?

I get your drift. Personally 5-20 years. However, I still think the Carter wines in great vintages (2013 & 2015) will be holding up in 25-30 years alongside CM’s estate, just with more “umph”.

Any evidence of this or is it based on hope and prayers? Virtually every Chateau Montelena estate Cabernet ever made is still drinking well. Given the 40+ year track record of Chateau Montelena, how can anyone state that from an objective perspective “nothing extraordinary ‘yet’ in Calistoga”? It is fine and well to have personal opinions but going based purely on personal opinion is really misleading to the OP.

Mostly hopes and prayers. My hypothesis is mainly based on none of the Carter 2013s are even close to accessible at this time but have crazy stuffing. I’ve tried the 2013 CM Estate, and can’t say the same. While good, not the “umph” of the 2013 Carter BTKs. Plus RP said they will make it 30 years, that counts for something, right? Tougue and cheek about my food critique in Calistoga Can’t we both agree that Saint Helena has better restaurants than Calistoga? I didn’t think that was a profound assumption.

[JohnP]

I totally agree with Howard on this one. Château Montelena is the call. Matt Crafton has elevated the Estate Cabernet up another level.

Alright, it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve visited CM. Next time I’m in Calistoga, I’ll stop in for a private tasting and tour. Winemaking evolves and maybe my opinion will too?

[Hoang_Pham]

Storybook and Ch. Montelana!

[Jim_F]

CM cab does a lot more than “hang on”. Evolves, ages beautifully.

[Howard_Cooper]

I get your drift. Personally 5-20 years. However, I still think the Carter wines in great vintages (2013 & 2015) will be holding up in 25-30 years alongside CM’s estate, just with more “umph”.

Any evidence of this or is it based on hope and prayers? Virtually every Chateau Montelena estate Cabernet ever made is still drinking well. Given the 40+ year track record of Chateau Montelena, how can anyone state that from an objective perspective “nothing extraordinary ‘yet’ in Calistoga”? It is fine and well to have personal opinions but going based purely on personal opinion is really misleading to the OP.

Mostly hopes and prayers. My hypothesis is mainly based on none of the Carter 2013s are even close to accessible at this time but have crazy stuffing. I’ve tried the 2013 CM Estate, and can’t say the same. While good, not the “umph” of the 2013 Carter BTKs. Plus RP said they will make it 30 years, that counts for something, right? Tougue and cheek about my food critique in Calistoga Can’t we both agree that Saint Helena has better restaurants than Calistoga? I didn’t think that was a profound assumption.

My favorite restaurant in Napa is in St. Helena - Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. So, yes, I agree.

[Howard_Cooper]

I totally agree with Howard on this one. Château Montelena is the call. Matt Crafton has elevated the Estate Cabernet up another level.

Alright, it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve visited CM. Next time I’m in Calistoga, I’ll stop in for a private tasting and tour. Winemaking evolves and maybe my opinion will too?

I am glad you said for a private (or at least special) tasting. People on this board who have gone there and just done the basic tastings there do not seem nearly as impressed as I have been when doing one of their better tastings. Of course, my first vintage of Montelena was the 78 so I have been drinking these things for a while. Had the 1978 Sonoma again a few years ago and it was fabulous.

John, I don’t know if you have tasted any California Cabernets from the 70s or 80s such as Montelena, Ridge Montebello, Sterling (at least as long as Forman was there), Diamond Creek, Mondavi Reserve, Heitz, Chappellet or a few others, but if you have not, you really owe to yourself to try one or a few. It might give you more appreciation for the classics of California.

[JohnP]

I totally agree with Howard on this one. Château Montelena is the call. Matt Crafton has elevated the Estate Cabernet up another level.

Alright, it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve visited CM. Next time I’m in Calistoga, I’ll stop in for a private tasting and tour. Winemaking evolves and maybe my opinion will too?

I am glad you said for a private (or at least special) tasting. People on this board who have gone there and just done the basic tastings there do not seem nearly as impressed as I have been when doing one of their better tastings. Of course, my first vintage of Montelena was the 78 so I have been drinking these things for a while. Had the 1978 Sonoma again a few years ago and it was fabulous.

John, I don’t know if you have tasted any California Cabernets from the 70s or 80s such as Montelena, Ridge Montebello, Sterling (at least as long as Forman was there), Diamond Creek, Mondavi Reserve, Heitz, Chappellet or a few others, but if you have not, you really owe to yourself to try one or a few. It might give you more appreciation for the classics of California.

Some of the wines from the 70s/80s I’ve tried (ex: 78 & 79’ Mondavi Reserve) were epic. However, sourcing them has always been the trouble. I’d say over the last 10 years, I’m about a 25% hit rate and have become a little jaded from buying at winebid/etc where I cannot guarantee perfect cellaring. If any of you live in San Diego and want to sell/trade, pls message me.

As for CM, I totally agree, special tastings are the only way to roll. Their basic tasting experience (from my memory) was more or less like walking into a bar and fighting to get a drink. Note, it was raining that day.

[Sebastian_C]

Thanks all for the responses. Let see where I can arrange tastings.

[David_Baum]

Agree with John on CM. Went there after Carter in November and it was night and day. CM was a standard corporate tasting hosted by a generic employee that had been the a week. While they age well when young everything we tasted was average.

Of course no one asked the OP what their tastes and equally important their budget is. That could change a lot

One thing I differ with John is on auction hit rate. Over last 10 years I’ve rarely had a bad or off bottle, most are good to very good and about 25% have been exceptional. I guess a lot depends upon what you buy and which vintages. And I’m in SD also

[John_Ammons]

Eat at Solage

Strongly disagree. I’ll be staying at Solage next month, and while I’d love to not leave the property we’ll be going to dinner elsewhere. Ate at their restaurant last year while staying there and it was very underwhelming. Especially given the general standards of their property.

peter michael.

Does Peter Michael accept visitors?