Gladys Xiques

9.2

Aged purple fruit. Paired with meat chili — 22 days ago

Joe Flo

9.7

Delicious 🍷!!!! — a month ago

WC Fields

9.5

A stunner. — 24 days ago

Garen Staglin

9.7

2021 is amazing. Great vintage and well done. — a month ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Opened and decanted for about 2 hours

Evolved from being tight and Bordeaux like to eventually giving off some red fruits and having a kirsch like flavor

Fairly robust and a lot of depth. — 2 months ago

Donald Williams

9.6

Amazing how Cathy Corison can produce wine this good every year. — 2 months ago

with Bonnie

Mark Purdy

9.5

Still plenty of structure, color was ruby not brown. Amazing complexity for a 79. What a treat! — 2 months ago

Scot Walker

9.2

Dark fruit in the nose with plums, black cherries, leather and blackberries in the palate. Paired well with steak au poivre. Drank in 2026, could use aeration to fully enjoy the wine. — 3 months ago

Peter Montoleone

9.4

Drinking really well right now! — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with splashes of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec all SLD estate fruit, deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry fruits, oak and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and currants with tobacco and herb spice. Fine smooth tannins, approachable, long finish ending with fruit, oak, spice and herb mineral character. Nice! — 8 months ago

R. David Liebers

9.0

Pleasant aroma, fruity on the tongue with a dry finish. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — a month ago

Stephen F Laga MD

9.4

Had is for the first time at my retirement dinner with family. Great legs. No aftertaste. Deep purple color. Licorice. Currants. — a month ago

Christian Fischer

9.4

Smooth and well-balanced. Nice ending of the evening — a month ago

Jason Phillips

9.0

Good nose. Dark red color. Lighter than expected but great finish. — 2 months ago

Steven Moya

9.1

Love the Justin brand. — 2 months ago

Lindsey Kelley

9.1

A very good Cab given to me for a Christmas present one year by my brother. Drank on 6/27/26 with Matt — 2 months ago

Slestyan

9.0

Butter, oak, lime? — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2021 vintage. Medium-medium heavy body. 4.1.26. — 5 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Deep ruby color. Aromas of dark cherry, plum, eucalyptus and baking spice. Blackberry on the palate, nutmeg/clove, earthy finish. — 7 months ago

Brennan Roy

9.0

One of my favorite cabs. Wonderfully balanced complexity, silky mouth feel, a bit chewy with a delightful finish. Put it up for a couple of years if you can wait. — 9 months ago

Paul K

9.6

Love this! — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2022 vintage. Not as lean as previous vintages given the 2022 challenges so a bit more oak love. Shows nicely. Not world class. Not a showstopper. Holds the line really well tho and answers an absolute ton of phone calls successfully. 7.29.26. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Chateau Montelena — Chardonnay 2023
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Released as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris, this vintage continues the legacy that forever changed the perception of California wine. Crafted in Montelena’s unmistakable style, it favors precision, freshness, and restraint over richness, proving Napa Chardonnay can be both powerful and elegant.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon curd, baked pear, crisp apple, citrus blossom, and subtle white peach are beautifully intertwined with delicate hints of wet stone, light vanilla, and restrained oak.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and exceptional balance. Rich enough to satisfy yet remarkably focused, the palate delivers silky texture, impressive tension, and a long, refined finish that never feels heavy.

Food Pairings
Lobster, scallops, roasted chicken, creamy risotto, grilled halibut, or triple-cream Brie.

Verdict
A benchmark New World Chardonnay that continues to set the standard nearly five decades after its historic triumph. Complex, poised, and beautifully balanced, it is a wine that appeals equally to classic California Chardonnay lovers and those who typically favor more restrained Old World expressions.

Did You Know?
The 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the white wine category at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, defeating France’s finest Burgundies in a blind tasting and forever changing the reputation of California wine on the world stage. The 2023 vintage celebrates the 50th anniversary of that landmark event.

🍷 Personal Pick
I’m generally selective with Napa Chardonnay, often preferring leaner, mineral-driven styles. Chateau Montelena remains one of my rare exceptions. It captures the generosity of Napa’s sunshine while preserving freshness, finesse, and impeccable balance. This is a permanent fixture in my cellar and one of the few New World Chardonnays I’d confidently pour for someone who believes they don’t enjoy Napa Chardonnay. — 2 months ago

Abe Froman

9.8

Delicious @caymus with wife m. The bartender Steve let me know that this is what 90% of people come in for and it’s incredible. Super smooth. — 2 months ago

Matt Schwartz

8.9

Oak, sawdust, coco nibs, tobacco, black currant and blackberries. This is rich, deep and dark. Mostly secondary and tertiary flavors at this point, not a ton of fruit left. — 2 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.4

Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of plums, blueberries, and camphor; on the palate, it's dry with high acidity, high tannins, high alcohol, full body, and pronounced intensity primary and secondary flavors of blackberries, ground coffee, cocoa, and menthol with a long finish. This wine is intense and complex. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. — 3 months ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Good but a few years past ideal — 5 months ago

Kent Wessels

9.4

Had at bite and third and main — 6 months ago

Brian Hearty

9.0

2022. Too much ripe fruit flavors when opened, but after about an hour the flavors balanced out quite a bit (though it never really had a lot of acidity or tannins). Paired well with a salty crusty rib roast. — 8 months ago