Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 750ml

Chateau Montelena in Calistoga makes two Cabernets: the flagship Estate and this Napa Valley bottling, which is the one to drink while the Estate ages.

Matt Crafton is the winemaker. In the 2021, a portion of Merlot rounds out the Cabernet and gives it a soft, refined texture. It's 14.1% alcohol and sealed with natural cork.

It shows lively fruit, acidity and tannin, with mint and graphite. It's approachable now and gains complexity in the glass.

For a well-known Napa name that's drinking now, this is the right Montelena to buy. For a bigger, riper style at the same price, look at The Prisoner Cabernet.

Open it an hour before dinner, or keep it a few more years. Roast lamb or a ribeye suits it.

See more Napa Valley wine, or browse all our Cabernet Sauvignon. Pick it up at our Brooklyn store or get same-day delivery in Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens.