Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon California Napa 2001

92 points Drink Date 2018 - 2030 Reviewed by  Lisa Perrotti-Brown Issue Date 28th Feb 2018 Source 235, The Wine Advocate Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate opens with notes of charcuterie, yeast extract and cedar over a core of red and black currant jelly, tobacco leaf and new leather plus a hint of dried sage. Medium-bodied, it has a firm frame of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness lifting the savory/earthy flavors, finishing long and a bit woody. The iconic Gothic stone winery now known as Chateau Montelena was originally built by Alfred Tubbs in the 1880s. It was purchased by Jim and Judy Barrett in the early 1970s. The property came with around 100 acres of vines, but rather surprisingly, there was no Cabernet Sauvignon planted. At that time, it was believed that Calistoga was too warm to produce high quality Cabernet, and so the Estate vineyard was mainly planted to Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. In 197