Six Bottles-750ml of Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

Robert Parker: 95 points

Winemaker's Notes
In the glass our 2002 has a dark, inky-purple color, saturated to the edge. It has a pronounced aromatic bouquet of luxurious pure ripe fruit, cassis and earth. The wine's diverse, complex and powerful flavor profile - with ripe cassis, blackberry, and black cherry flavors supported by hints of tar and earth - prove that the painstaking and slow process of partial row harvesting was well worth the effort. The tiny Cabernet berries yielded from the vineyard's dry soils produced powerful yet silky tannins and a refreshing backbone of acidity which, combined with its bold structure and rich flavors, infused it with plenty of power to age for a long while. The wine is elegant, showy and polished, with plenty of body and plush ripeness. We think you can enjoy the powerful, vibrant fruit now by opening a few bottles, and then wait a couple years for the concentrated, distinctive Montelena character to evolve before opening the rest.

Technical Data:

Harvest Dates: Sept. 14 to Oct. 15
Bottling Date: November 2004
Release Date: March 2006
Cases Produced: 7400
Barrels: 27% New French
Time in Oak: 18 to 20 months
Sugar at Harvest: 24.2 to 25.7 brix