Chateau Montelena

My wife got this joint recommended by a colleague, and it turned out to be a great tip! Server poured 5 nice wines, some more appealing to my palette than others, but one Cab and a Pinot stood out. Great stories and history were shared making the visit feel special. Took a stroll around the grounds and the pond, very scenic! Overall great experience, we will be back!

Chateau Montelena Winery today was very underwhelming. Our most expensive experience and our least favorite of the trip. We did taste a 2015 Chardonnay that was very good. The wines were fine but our host and the whole experience did not meet our expectations of what $125 per person experience should have been. UPDATE: I appreciated their responsiveness and demonstrated sincerity. We will give them another chance next time we are in the area.

Tasting was standing around a table in a kitchen with no window. I thought it was a little crazy that they don't leverage the amazing views of this beautiful property. That being said, the staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. The wine was spectacular, much like you would expect from the winery that put America on the world's map when it comes to wine. The property is truly beautiful. So nice that it's still a family winery. Hope it stays that way for a while.

Winery five of our Napa Valley tour last year saw us visiting an American treasure in Chateau Montelena whose Chardonnay rocked the Judgement of Paris in 1976 and ushered in a new era in not only in California/American winemaking but globally overall. While I had known about the wine maker since my mid 20s when I worked at a wine and spirits store across from the University of Miami, I had never actually had any of their wines, let alone visited the winery. Given that my wife and I had enjoyed my first trip to Napa and Sonoma with some of the wineries located there to previous year, having stayed in Calistoga that time, we made sure to include the Chateau on this one. We did the Montelena Estate tasting, which saw us experience some lovely Cabs and a couple of tasty chards; and I'm normally not a fan of chard, but these were good. We were fortunate to do the tasting in the Steve Spurrier room, which was very magical. While the wines we tried are a touch out of our price range, the experience was awesome, having the insight of the guy who navigated us through each of the pours we had. Afterwards, we walked around the grounds and saw the venerable chateau front that makes up the label for the winery. Having also watched Bottle Shock the film, seeing this in person was wicked cool, and didn't disappoint at its size and stature. Some landmarks looks quite disappointing and small in person like the Las Vegas sign, but the Chateau delivers.

Chateau Montelena was an absolutely beautiful experience. From the gorgeous pond/lake area, to the buildings/architecture... it was simply a nice scenery to bask in despite the gloomy weather. Chateau Montelena partakes in the passport experience which allows for wine tasting at 19 different venues for a total of $75, which is definitely a win! With this passport, Chateau Montelena provided two tastings which were divine. Our "pourer" was also very friendly, and very much a people person, which we appreciated. I would definitely recommend visiting, even if it is only for the views.

A great winery tasting. Very laid back with some good Napa history. We enjoyed our private tasting room and a selection showing how the wines they make age over time.

Had a lovely time here with two friends! The wine tasting itself was led by someone who was very knowledgeable and friendly. I enjoyed the sauvignon blanc glasses he poured. It was really interesting learning about the history of how they make the wines -- Chateau Montelena is apparently the 6th oldest winery in Napa, so it's been around for a quite a while and they definitely know their wines! There was another group with us at the same wine tasting, which we didn't realize, so that's something to keep in mind. It's not a "private" experience. After our wine tasting, we were able to walk around the massive sprawling grounds, which was the most fun part of the experience! It's absolutely gorgeous and so spacious and so green. They have a Chinese pavilion built on the lake because a Chinese immigrant family used to live here. The lighting is great for photos, and you can even rent it out for a private party. My friends and I had such a fun time exploring the grounds -- it was super peaceful. The lake has a ton of different wildlife.

Love the gorgeous grounds! Last time we were here, we were running late for an appointment and we had to literally do a drive by and only stopped for 5 minutes to take a few pix to introduce an out of towner. Glad they didn't restrict this area to visitors after the pandemic. This is my fav scenery, Artesa is second (see the theme, WATER). Totally worth the drive!

Beautiful winery and highly recommend buying the upgraded tasting. We showed up early to explore the property. We were paired with another couple for the tasting and they were caught in traffic and running late, but Vince started promptly on time and we didn't even notice. Vince was so knowledgeable that I actually got out notes and took down what he was saying. I will definitely be back here!!!

Of course I had to visit one of the wineries that put napa on the map. I am so glad I came in for a tasting and I highly recommend Tash as your host. He was so funny, energetic and knowledgeable. I learned a lot and luckily the people in my group were kind and such great company. The property is beautiful and the wines were delicious. This spot is a must visit

We had a great wine expert that hosted our wine tasting. The wine is fantastic, the history is incredible and the property is gorgeous. If you've seen the movie Bottle Shock, this is the place for you. Make sure to make reservations.

My sister and I visited here and had 3 wineries setup to tour. This iconic stop was definitely my favorite. As most know it is famously known from the movie "Bottle Shock." We arrived early so we could tour the grounds. By far the most stunning property I've been to. There were private areas you could not go out to as they are reserved for club members. The tasting room was setup nicely and we were seated with 3 other parties. We enjoyed the "Explore AgeAbility" tasting which was nice to try the older paired with new vintages. They did offer salami and breadsticks to pair with our wine as well. Our host was very knowledgeable about the wines and property as she had been there for years. We left purchasing 4 bottles and I would definitely go back!

We had a great time here. Bonus points for having an EV charger we could use. I would recommend getting here early so you can tour the grounds and take photos. There's a beautiful lake and castle to take pictures in front of and there's even a rolling selfie stand to put your phone on and take photos in front of the castle. As for the wine tasting experience, we did the "Explore Ageability" tasting. I enjoyed 2 of the 5 wines (surprisingly I liked the younger ones better than the library wines, though my friend enjoyed the library ones better) and particularly appreciated the private tasting room they had us in, which made for a more intimate experience (our party of 4 was joined by another party of 3 - it looked like the max was probably 8 or 10). I also liked that they had all the wines poured at the same time so we could go at our own pace if we wanted or compare and contrast back-to-back as we went along. They also had breadsticks for everyone. We had originally booked the cheaper and shorter "Taste of Montelena" experience but I think they upgraded us for free so that we could join an other already-existing party. Our wine educator was kind and knowledgeable and really allowed us to enjoy the experience. I would recommend coming here at least once. Over all, I'm very glad we came! TLDR: Come early to take photos around the beautiful property. Decent wines and go for the "Explore Ageability" experience for a semi-private more intimate experience.

The winery is just okay. I got the tasting and found everything about the experience to be underwhelming. It is super beautiful outside and around the premises but I would pay a little more to be able to enjoy learning more about the winery's history and establishment. This really just came down to service being not the best during our tasting though they were kind enough when we were 15 mins late to our tasting.

This is a must when you come to Napa! It's one of the furthest north in the region on the map, but it is so worth it. I didn't make a reservation in advance. However, if you go early in the morning when they first open, you will probably get in. They also do military discounts which is amazing! Their wines in the wine tasting were really good, The building, and the grounds that you are in our picturesque! Definitely walk the grounds. They have a beautiful lake and bridges, and in the front the building looks sort of like a castle. So definitely get a picture there! The inside seems castle like and cavelike as well. Me and my friends and family had a really good experience and they were great at being informative and making it fun! I would definitely go again!

Amazing winery in a beautiful peaceful lake setting. Both walk ins and reservations taken. Service is also not pretentious and very warm and inviting. We will be back!

A beautiful vineyard in the Napa valley area. My cousin and I tried the $60 tasting and was very impressed by the reds. The person helping us was very knowledgeable and we ended up staying for over an hour and a half talking about wine.

I tried booking a Tasting but they said that if my friend who is a non drinker wants to be with me while I taste, my friend must pay the same $150 fee plus tax to just sit with me. Seriously. I'm so glad there are hundreds of Wineries in the Valley. This one is still riding on their 1976 Paris wine almost 50 years ago. No thank you! The woman I spoke with on the phone yesterday said "We sell seats here so any designated driver must pay to sit with a drinker" I told her there are hundreds of wineries in NAPA so I'll pass on hers.

They don't serve food here. We did a walk in tasting and they were extremely accommodating and very knowledgeable. It's an amazing building build in the 1880's - real life Château with lovely grounds. Definitely recommend!

Went on a trip to Napa with my friends and we wanted to make a stop at Chateau Montelena! We drove up from Orange County. I'm so glad we came, I loved it here! I would go out of my way to come here. The wine tasting was inside their tasting room and it was an awesome experience. Their wines were all so very good! Their wine bottle prices had a big range between $40 and $200 if I remember correctly. My friends and I each purchased a bottle! I'm going to be honest I can't remember what I purchased haha but you can't go wrong with either of their selections. I love wine tastings. Even just from one wine tasting I feel like I could get a bit tipsy! The property and the architecture there is beautiful! You can definitely spend some time exploring and walking around. That's what we did after we finished our tasting. It's very pretty and good picture ops! We made online reservations for our tastings and paid online as well. I think the tasting here is a bit pricier than other places but I can understand the pricing since it's located at a chateau. If I remember it was over $50 per person for the tasting we selected, the cheapest option but there are other types of tastings to select from. Definitely worth it in my eyes. They have a free gravel parking lot with plenty of spots. Our tasting room host, or sommelier, was so friendly and educated us on the history there!

We had an early morning tasting at the Chateau Montelena and was greeting by the most spectacular castle and breathtaking grounds. It got even better when greeted by our wine educator, Lynn. By the time our tasting was done, I wanted to put her on my Christmas card list. She was knowledgeable but personable. We loved her! It was a great few hours spent there with Lynn. Highly recommend! The Oklahoma Divas!

Feeling underwhelmed. I love the history of the Chateau ( and the movie, bottle shock) I get the cost has escalated everywhere and tastings are mostly appointment-only. Chateau does allow limited walk-ins and we felt lucky. The wine is delish and my only complaint is the cost. $ 60.00 per person for a tasting is ridiculous for a 45.00 dollar of wine. Typically after a tasting, we buy a bottle but after taking a $250.00 hit for the tasting (four) we are left empty-handed. Great property with a ton of history and maybe the suggestion is to allow the purchase of a bottle. I would have paid $100.00 for the Sav with the option of grabbing a seat by the lake.

I was very excited to visit this winery but was let down a bit. I was a walk-in for a passport tasting. The building is absolutely beautiful and very unique. It looks like a legit old castle with a large lake that even has tiny islands on it you can reserve for a private tasting. The tasting was quite disappointing. I understood it was going to be small tasting given I was not paying them money directly, but the pours were much smaller than I've received at other wineries. We tried two chardonnays from separate vintages which was interesting to taste the different flavor profiles. Overall, I didn't love either of them. We also tried a Zin which was fine but not worth the price tag. We also had a Napa cab, which was the best. I think the price is paying for the venue. I would recommend stopping by if you're in the area just to see the castle and wander the grounds, but no need to stay for a tasti

You have several flights of 4 to choose from and opportunity to become a wine member and purchase wines for delivery or take home on the day. Food was fresh options of different charcuterie dishes.

Amazing wines with a beautiful ambiance, nestled in the valley of Calistoga. The rich history of the vineyard you could feel walking on the grounds and seeing the beautiful pond. Our experience was made even better, just barely better than the 2009 Cab (which was the best cab I had in Napa on my trip) was because of Lin! She was knowledgeable, fun, and we had the best tasting with her! Xoxo- The PA Divas

Really beautiful winery with lots of grounds to explore. The staff were phenomenal - very knowledgeable and friendly while also giving space to enjoy the wines. The wines were mostly pretty average. The estate wine was very good. Only weird thing was being made to stand in a corner with a high top table for a 5 tasting experience. No other locations have forced us to stand for a full tasting or even partial tasting. Also a very weird little room for tasting with no ambience like other wineries. Overall, a bit overpriced for standing only experience.

Chateau Montelena is the place that put Napa Valley wines on the map. Like other reviews have mentioned, this winery won the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 (aka the Judgment of Paris) which was portrayed in the movie Bottle Shock. The winery is one of the oldest six wineries in Napa and there are 50+ years of history here. Around the castle building is a Chinese garden and Jade Lake, created and named for a Chinese family who previously lived at the location. We made reservations online for our tastings which were $50 per person. Of the five different wines my favorites were the 2019 zinfandel and the 2019 cabernet sauvignon. Cabernet sauvignon is their specialty which makes sense because it tasted amazing. During our tasting we had a great conversation with our host Cathy who walked us through the history and geography of the landscape as well as where the different wines were made. If you buy $125 of bottles it waives one tasting fee which we did. We really could've purchased any of their wines because they all tasted delicious. It was really cool to learn about a big piece of history that made Napa Valley what it is today.

Chateau Montelena was our second vineyard. Right where you park, you are greeted with the views of a beautiful pond with a Chinese pagoda and ducks and swan swimming in it. We saw people sitting there, but we couldn't check it out because they were reserved (not sure how to do that). Wine tasting at Chateau Montelena happens in groups. There were 2 of us, and in our group, we had 3 more pairs. Usually, the tasting will start with whoever from the group gets their first. The host may ask you if you are fine with waiting for the rest of the group to show up so they can start the tasting together, but it's up to you. We had a bunch of wineries scheduled for the day, so when we got there, we were one of the 2 pairs, so we requested to start with the wine tasting right away. Other pairs in our group showed up within 10 minutes, but they missed out on some of the talk from our hostess and had to catch up because they were starting with their first wine when we were finishing our second. Our hostess (Queeny; probably butchered it. Sorry) was very sweet and lively and kept the group entertained. She made sure the new folks were caught up with what she had already shared with the rest of the group. She talked about the owners, the history of the chateau, micro climates in the area, and how their wine is made. Overall, it was a great experience, and the wine was great, too.

I enjoyed the grounds and the old school looking Chateau. There's also a little lake you can see. Many have mentioned the price of tastings have gone up. However if you are planning to buy some wine they will take a discount off the wine you buy. Just make sure to ask before you do all that. You're visiting a bit of history so for touristy spot it's prob really nice to go. If you're in Calistoga worth a visit.

Taste of Montelena was our tasting Menu. I liked this last one but i found the wine underwhelming. Not sure if it's because we just had tasting at Castello de Amorosa. This was our last stop. BUT hey, I'm not a huge wine drinker so. My friends who drink/prefer wine thought the same though. You should definitely walk around Jade Lake. It's a cute little lake and scenic and picturesque.

Absolutely loved walking around the grounds and seeing the changing leaves and the lake. The Chateau is very well-kept and there are decorations throughout the different spaces. Great spot for a photo session. The wines? What can I say? I loved every single one on my tasting. Service was phenomenal. I took home a Riesling because I already have other varietals and it's rare to find this wine type. When you come, be sure to go to the tasting room in the back so you can see the bottle of the winning Chardonnay from the Paris judgment of 1976. It's historic!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. The history and story alone make a visit a must, but the hospitality is wonderful! We did a special tasting called Exploring Ageability which was in a small private room upstairs at the property. We got to enjoy various years of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon with a host just for us. I would highly recommend this experience!! The grounds are just stunning with a story of their own!

Christian was an amazing guide. Obviously amazing wine and amazing grounds. Can't say enough about their private tastings.

The lake and pavilions were unexpected and really makes for such a nice walk on the grounds. The winery experience is inside the building which looks more like a petite chateau size wise and it's only on the outside. The inside feels like an office with three bars. I learned a lot about the history of the property and the winery. Great story! Overall, a very enjoyable time.

We visited on 3/18/23 and had the absolute please of having Lin barrios as our wine guide. She was so friendly so knowledgeable and welcoming we couldn't have asked for a better experience! She let us ask all the questions and really made us feel at Home we will forever be fans and customers Of the Chateau Montelana because of Lin and the delicious wines!!!! You must try the Zinfandel I wasn't a fan of zins coming into this trip and I fell in love with theirs! Love the Texas chicks

Beautiful grounds! We were warmly greeted and promptly texted when our reservation was ready! We paid $100.00 for wine tasting for 2 people. The cost was fine no problems there however, we were let down with the person who was assigned to us. I had to ask her what the tasting notes were for the different wines we were tasting as we had planned to bring a nice bottle home. The young gal seemed annoyed with these question and answered me there are none. She said to me you will taste what you taste. She then proceeded to drop a pamphlet onto our table and tell me I could find the tasting notes inside. This experience was like finally meeting your favorite movie star then being disappointed that they turned out to be an A hole. I still bought the wine because it truly is good. However I will not revisit the winery.

Wine is consistently good I like their cab reserve taking pictures around the yarwinery is must

Beautiful grounds. Beautiful reds. Tasting fee was not so bad! it did not break the bank so I'm not complaining. Friendly And rushed service. Come for the views at least once :)

Great place for some wine with beautiful scenery to walk around and explore. We went with the Calistoga passport and were able to get a big group of 11 in for a tasting right at opening time. We had the tasting outside, it was cold but there were heaters which was nice. Wine was delicious and we got decent pours for having the passport. Would recommend

Fantastic experience! The property is gorgeous and so are the wines. Our server was very knowledgeable and even entertaining. They're known for their cabs which I'm not huge on but we ended up taking it home! Would definitely come back here. Only complaint is that I wish they had more variety.

So disappointed with our tasting experience. The tasting room is a dark, dingy ... just have to say ugly room, and considering they charge $60 per person, I wanted to be able to enjoy the experience, but sadly just wanted to get out of the dark, depressing room. The bored, unenthusiastic attitude of our sommelier didn't improve the experience either. We had visited Domaine Carneros, Peju and Dariush wineries that weekend (amazing wines and experiences) and this definitely fell short of our expectations. I gave it one star, instead of no stars (is there a no star option?!) because of the garden area with the pond and pretty bridges that you can stroll around, but since the tasting wasn't done where you could enjoy this view, I'd have probably enjoyed going to a park with a bottle of wine more!

Service, wine and scenery was amazing! This photo is for our Sommelier, Lynn! From the KC girls

Beautiful Place! Peaceful and Serene. Great property for an intimate event. The staff was very nice and provided a wonderful experience. We will definitely be back!!

Had a tasting with Jady and he was amazing! Gave great info about the land, history and winery. Would recommend!

Beautiful winery place. Best to make reservation in advance from their website. Wonderful staffs. They were all very accommodating. Learned a lot during wine tasting.

Perhaps Chateau Montelena Winery's greatest claim to fame is their 1973 Chardonnay claiming victory in the famed "Judgement of Paris" that took place in 1976, which is considered the turning point in the raising the bar of respectability of California wines versus that of French wines. But perhaps the second greatest claim to fame is the hollowed lush grounds that visitors can experience when they arrive for a tasting, as they not only harvest and crush their wines on site, but they have a massive lake with two footbridges and pagodas for visitors to take in their wine and ambience. It is here were I recently got to experience a Cellar Master Member Tasting with a friend who was a member of the winery, and we experienced a first class tasting and wine pairing, an exclusive tour of their grounds by golf cart, and then a nice afternoon outdoors in one of the aforementioned pagodas enjoying a catered lunch paired with another bottle of wine that sampled and purchased during our wine pairing. So wonderfully accommodating was Chateau Montelena Winery for their Cellar Master Member Tasting that they even reserved a parking space close to their tasting room with my friend's surname labeled on it. Upon arrival we adjourned to our private room where along with another member couple, our wine pairing began, as Sam served as our highly informative tasting room associate, who led us through each of our five wines and pairings. When we sat down, we were served with a tasting platter filled with brie cheese, marcona almonds, seascape cheese, dried cranberries, eureka cheese, prosciutto, dried figs, bleu cheese, and crackers from Rustic Bakery. We began with their first two wines, their 2021 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and their 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay, both of which were harvested in the nearby Oak Knoll region of the valley. When paired with both the brie and seascape cheeses respectively, the aromatic flavors of both of the white wines really paired beautifully. For our third pour, we tried their 2019 Zinfandel, which was sourced from grapes grown right here on their estate as some of their oldest vines are for their Zinfandel and it was recommended that anything smoked would be perfect to pair with this wine. For our final group of wine tastings, we were able to compare and contrast their various Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the harvest years of 2007, 2017 and Sam was nice enough to give us extra pours of their 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which was 10 percent Merlot. The reason why their traditional wine tasting had wines from 2007 and 2017 was that they came from two of Chateau Montelena's two different winemakers at the time and they wanted us to taste the difference. We loved their 2019 Estate Zinfandel so much and at 45 dollars a bottle for members, it was the perfect way to spend the rest of our afternoon sipping away in one of their pagodas along their Jade Lake. But first we received an estate tour in one of their golf carts by Sam, after which she dropped us off right at the lake's walkways which led directly to their members-only lakeside picnic areas. For a very affordable 25 dollars per guest, we were able to enjoy a picnic basket filled with our choice of sandwiches, of which we both selected roast beef topped with mozzarella, onions and roquette arugula, a balsamic drizzle and served on a ciabatta roll, made by local neighborhood favorite Sam's General Store, a bag of chips and bottled water. We were also supposed to receive a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie, but sadly the paper cookie bag that held the cookie was mysteriously empty. Nevertheless, as we sipped on our bottle of Zinfandel, each bite of sandwich and chip paired with it nicely, and being able to experience the calming ambience of the lake and the vineyards made for the most memorable afternoon at Chateau Montelena. It's a rare gift to be able to experience such a unique wine tasting and pairing as we did at Chateau Montelena Winery, and it's all thanks to my friend being a long time loyal wine club member. A family-owned winery that has passed through multiple families and owners that each brought their own personal touches to the property of 400 acres, from living quarters being turned into a vast private wine tasting room, to the influence of Chinese architecture throughout their entire estate, after sampling the wines at Chateau Montelena Winery, I could see why they are still dominating wine tasting competitions after all these years. I cannot wait to bring other wine lovers and lovers of local history here, as this was a wine tasting experience that I will not soon forget.

I came here on a Thursday after booking a tasting for myself and my husband. We did the standard tasting and were in a group with 4 others. It started right on time and David, who was doing our tasting, was informative and friendly. The wines were good, I especially liked their award winning chardonnay. I'd also say it was exciting to try a $185 bottle of cab sav. The grounds were beautiful. Unfortunately work was being done on a part of it so we couldn't see the lake and islands too wellsince we weren't allowed on the sidewalk. Overall I'd say worth the visit. It was shorter by a lot than many other wineries we visited, for the same cost, but beautiful none the less.

This is one of our favorite wineries to visit. We plan a stop here every time we visit wine country. We love their cabernets and chardonnays as well as the scenic pond they have. Leon did our library tasting on our last visit and did an exceptional job. It was one of the best tasting experiences we had in recent memory.

We visited Chateau Montelena given the history of the winery and were greatly disappointed. We had the privilege of sampling several wines in the area, and the wines at Chateau Montelena are fine. However, the experience at the vineyard is terrible. They lock you in a tasting room with a set number of wines. The experience does not include a tour of the grounds or an explanation of how they make their wines. You might as well be at a whole sale liquor store. We were paired with Vincent who basically bragged to us for an hour about all the freebees he received for working at the winery, yet wouldn't allow us to revisit the Chardonnay. The very wine the winery is famous for. It's really a shame because there is only so long you can hang onto your lorals before people catch on. And believe me, it won't be long.

OMG if you need to be convinced about coming here you need to do some homework aka watch Bottle Shock! RIP Alan Rickman Professor Snape...