Chateau Montelena

The winery Chateau Montelena is the oldest winery in California's Napa Wine Country AVA, United States.

1882 acquired the entrepreneur Alfred L. Tubbs from San Francisco 254 acres of land, two miles north of Calistoga at Mount Saint Helena. After four years he exported his wine to France. During the Prohibition era in America ( 1920-1933 ) stopped the winery. After the ban was lifted, the family Tubbs the winery operation resumed until they sold it in 1958.

The farm passed into the hands of the couple Yort and Jeanie Frank about that also opened a guesthouse in the historic buildings next to the wine. Under the leadership of winemaker Mike Grgich and oenologist James Barrett of the vineyard is new and modernized. In 1972, the first wine from the Zinfandel grape was produced.

Four years later, in 1976, the winery Chateau Montelena achieved international recognition in the wine jury of Paris. In a blind tasting of 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay referred all other Chardonnays including the leading white Burgundy to the places.

In July 2008 it was announced that Michel Reybier, owner of the Bordeaux estate Château Cos d' Estournel, Chateau Montelena from Jim and Bo Barrett took over. About the purchase price was not disclosed. The management of the daily business is up since the vintage year 2008 Bo Barrett, Greg Ralston, the cellar master Cos d' Estournel of Dominique Arangoits, and Jean -Guillaume Prats, general manager of Cos d' Estournel.