Chateau Montelena purchases 29.5-hectare vineyard in the Carneros AVA

Chateau Montelena put Californian Chardonnay on the map when it secured a shock victory at the 1976 Judgement of Paris.

The winery’s 1973 Chardonnay earned the highest overall grade in that blind tasting, finishing ahead of the finest Meursault and Puligny Montrachet.

Chateau Montelena has gone from strength to strength in the ensuing years, but it now has one eye on the future.

‘We’re not just making wine for today, we’re building a future where Chateau Montelena remains a beacon of quality and longevity for American wine,’ said CEO Bo Barrett

‘This new vineyard is a testament to our belief that the best is yet to come. We’ve always aimed to push boundaries, to show the world what American wine can be, and this step ensures that legacy thrives for generations.’

Chateau Montelena is based in the Calistoga AVA. Entrepreneur Alfred L. Tubbs established the estate on a 103ha plot at the foot of Mount Saint Helena back in 1882, and the Barrett family has owned the company since the 1970s.

The new winery is located approximately 27 miles south of Chateau Montelena’s current base, at the foot of Mount Veeder in the Carneros.

It is ideally suited to growing Chardonnay, according to Chateau Montelena, as it features well-drained loam, red volcanic soils and optimal growing conditions.

The Carneros AVA is split between Napa County and Sonoma County. It is located at the southern edge of both counties, and it is renowned for having a cooler climate than most other parts of those counties.

That makes Carneros ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and many of the region’s grapes are used to make sparkling wine.

Chateau Montelena plans to begin planting the new vineyard next year. The company said the acquisition ‘secures the foundation for the next era of its legendary Chardonnay’, which suggests that it could be responding to climate change.

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