CHATEAU MONTELENA NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021

Aged in French oak — a consistent choice at Château Montelena that shapes the structure here — this 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon draws from the estate's volcanic and alluvial soils near Calistoga at the northern end of the valley. Bo Barrett and Dave Vella farm the blocks through the estate's long-standing focus on site-specific viticulture, letting the mountain-influenced diurnal shifts preserve the fruit's tension. Blackberry, cassis, and dark cherry lead, with clove and tobacco threading through the mid-palate, while the finish carries graphite, cola, and a hit of black cherry.