2009 Chateau Montelena Riesling Potter Valley
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Full, bright yellow. Very ripe aromas of apricot, yellow peach and honey lifted by floral and minty nuances. Moderately dense, spicy and just off-dry (5.5 g/l r.s.), offering an attractive combination of ripe fruit and honey. I detect a bit of botrytis influence.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
I suspect with its 5 grams of residual sugar, Montelena’s 2009 Riesling from Potter Valley is a very popular wine that undoubtedly flies out of their tasting room. Offering abundant peach and apricot notes, it is a seductive, fresh, lively white that is best drunk over the next 1-2 years. Some time ago Bo Barrett and his dad, Jim, decided that they needed to produce a less expensive, more supple textured Cabernet Sauvignon for consumers and restaurants looking for immediate gratification. That goal has been met very nicely by their Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, which is blended with some Merlot. All the fruit comes from the Calistoga appellation. Tel. (707) 942-5105; Fax (707) 942-4221
About the producer
Chateau Montelena is a historic Napa Valley estate that rose to global fame after its 1973 Chardonnay won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Renowned for both its Chardonnay and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery continues to produce elegant, age-worthy wines with a legacy of excellence.