My boyfriend David and I did a tasting led by Lin, and wow it was an AMAZING experience. The wine, especially the estate Cabernet Sauvignon, was delicious - 97% cab sav varietal vs the min closer to 75%. Learned about the history, recent vintages (Lin’s been there for 7 years), and tried a variety of different styles / wines, including their famous judgement of Paris Chardonnay. Had a great time and enjoyed it more than the other vineyard we visited.
Caitlin Claflin Mongillo
Greatly enjoyed our visit. Weather disrupted our planned vineyard tour and they made sure that we still had a fun and educational time. Stacy did a great job bringing the wine and the history to life and everything was delicious!
F Mhisen
“Outstanding wines and a charming atmosphere. The tasting experience was top-notch, with knowledgeable staff and a great selection. Every sip was a delight—can’t wait to visit again!”
coty sloan
We did a flagship tasting it was great, I learned quite a bit through the tasting however I didn't realize it was going to be a sit down with the tour guide and others the whole time so if you are into that it's great but if you are more interested in a tasting and just enjoying the winery by yourself or with your S/O this isn't the ideal set up for that scenario
Overall a wonderful place
Chung il Lee
Had an amazing tasting experience. Lin was very kind and knowledgeable. Hello from pianist and her husband!
Erin Faloon
We loved our experience with Lin! She gave us great tips and tricks and was super informative! <3 your San Francisco Divas
퀸라이언
It was a good wine tasting experience. I would like to visit again next time. In particular, Chardonnay remains in my memory for a long time. The taste of Cabernet Sauvignon was excellent. The very classic taste is still vivid.
Sarah Prusha
The property was beautiful, the wine was amazing, but Christian truly made the entire experience a 10/10! He was incredibly knowledgeable about wine and the processes involved in crafting different varieties. I had so many questions, all of which he answered in depth, providing examples that helped me better understand the complexities of it all. We visited during the winter, so it was quite cold. Because of the cold, we were able to enjoy a very intimate wine tasting with just my family and me. I never felt rushed or like my many questions were a bother! I would definitely book again with excitement to learn more from a host like him!
Dr. Mantis Toboggan
Nice park, it's free to enter. No need to buy anything just walk in.
Receptionist is quite rude, I recommend avoiding her. Meet the swan instead!
Luc L'Ecuyer
We had an incredible experience at Chateau Montelena, thanks to our amazing guide, Sal. Although he’d only been with the winery for two years, his passion and knowledge made it clear that he was truly invested in the history and craft of the wines. Unlike other tours where guides simply read off tasting notes, Sal encouraged us to discover our own unique palates, making the tasting experience feel personal and engaging. He was kind, articulate, and genuinely warm, making our visit even more memorable. Highly recommend this winery and especially the tour with Sal!
Truly a beautiful place. We had gone to 6 different tastings in Napa and this one had by far the best wines and our group of 4 also agreed. Would recommend booking a week ahead.
Anita Maharaj
Chateau Montelena is such a gorgeous winery! My husband and I decided to check it out after hearing about and watching the movie, Bottle Shock. As someone who is obsessed with wine and wine history, I thought it was a cool place to visit- basically historic. Chateau Montelena was a major player in putting Napa Valley on the map with its 1973 Chardonnay that won the 1976 "Judgement of Paris" blind wine tasting for white wines against top French wines.
The grounds are stunning, especially with the gardens. We did a standard tasting and were joined only by one other couple in the general tasting group. Our host, Tash, was very amicable and did a wonderful job at engaging with both couples. So much so, that we really did feel like a cohesive group. Tash was great at describing the notes of the wines and what makes them special. Despite it obviously not being the 1973 Chardonnay, the one we tried was still superb! The riesling pleasantly surprised me, especially because I'm not a fan of that grape typically. But the biggest regret of the trip was not buying a bottle to bring home!
I would love to get a glass of wine and walk around the garden the next time I'm back in Napa! Definitely recommend you do the same!
Ellen K
A must see for anyone visiting Napa! Located at an authentic French-style 19th century chateau, this beautiful winery makes award winning old world style wines. (Truly, check out the movie "Bottle Shock" to learn how they put Napa Valley on the wine making map.) The grounds are gorgeous any time of the year and we enjoy my club member perks of free tastings and being able to rent a gazebo on the lake for a picnic. The staff is uniformly knowledgeable, friendly, and welcoming. I might be slightly biased because we've been club members for over a decade and also we got engaged at this place - but really that's a testament to how fabulous it is!
Angelo’s Review
Really nice place to wonder and get lost 😆 love the wines
J
Our wine tasting experience was made unforgettable by Judith! Her deep knowledge and passion for Napa wines brought each sip to life. She shared her wealth of knowledge in a way that felt approachable, making our honeymoon wine adventure even more memorable and special!
My boyfriend David and I did a tasting led by Lin, and wow it was an AMAZING experience. The wine, especially the estate Cabernet Sauvignon, was delicious - 97% cab sav varietal vs the min closer to 75%. Learned about the history, recent vintages (Lin’s been there for 7 years), and tried a variety of different styles / wines, including their famous judgement of Paris Chardonnay. Had a great time and enjoyed it more than the other vineyard we visited.
Greatly enjoyed our visit. Weather disrupted our planned vineyard tour and they made sure that we still had a fun and educational time. Stacy did a great job bringing the wine and the history to life and everything was delicious!
“Outstanding wines and a charming atmosphere. The tasting experience was top-notch, with knowledgeable staff and a great selection. Every sip was a delight—can’t wait to visit again!”
We did a flagship tasting it was great, I learned quite a bit through the tasting however I didn't realize it was going to be a sit down with the tour guide and others the whole time so if you are into that it's great but if you are more interested in a tasting and just enjoying the winery by yourself or with your S/O this isn't the ideal set up for that scenario
Overall a wonderful place
Had an amazing tasting experience. Lin was very kind and knowledgeable. Hello from pianist and her husband!
We loved our experience with Lin! She gave us great tips and tricks and was super informative! <3 your San Francisco Divas
It was a good wine tasting experience. I would like to visit again next time. In particular, Chardonnay remains in my memory for a long time. The taste of Cabernet Sauvignon was excellent. The very classic taste is still vivid.
The property was beautiful, the wine was amazing, but Christian truly made the entire experience a 10/10! He was incredibly knowledgeable about wine and the processes involved in crafting different varieties. I had so many questions, all of which he answered in depth, providing examples that helped me better understand the complexities of it all. We visited during the winter, so it was quite cold. Because of the cold, we were able to enjoy a very intimate wine tasting with just my family and me. I never felt rushed or like my many questions were a bother! I would definitely book again with excitement to learn more from a host like him!
Nice park, it's free to enter. No need to buy anything just walk in.
Receptionist is quite rude, I recommend avoiding her.
Meet the swan instead!
We had an incredible experience at Chateau Montelena, thanks to our amazing guide, Sal. Although he’d only been with the winery for two years, his passion and knowledge made it clear that he was truly invested in the history and craft of the wines. Unlike other tours where guides simply read off tasting notes, Sal encouraged us to discover our own unique palates, making the tasting experience feel personal and engaging. He was kind, articulate, and genuinely warm, making our visit even more memorable. Highly recommend this winery and especially the tour with Sal!
Restaurantji Recommends
Truly a beautiful place. We had gone to 6 different tastings in Napa and this one had by far the best wines and our group of 4 also agreed. Would recommend booking a week ahead.
Chateau Montelena is such a gorgeous winery! My husband and I decided to check it out after hearing about and watching the movie, Bottle Shock. As someone who is obsessed with wine and wine history, I thought it was a cool place to visit- basically historic. Chateau Montelena was a major player in putting Napa Valley on the map with its 1973 Chardonnay that won the 1976 "Judgement of Paris" blind wine tasting for white wines against top French wines.
The grounds are stunning, especially with the gardens. We did a standard tasting and were joined only by one other couple in the general tasting group. Our host, Tash, was very amicable and did a wonderful job at engaging with both couples. So much so, that we really did feel like a cohesive group. Tash was great at describing the notes of the wines and what makes them special. Despite it obviously not being the 1973 Chardonnay, the one we tried was still superb! The riesling pleasantly surprised me, especially because I'm not a fan of that grape typically. But the biggest regret of the trip was not buying a bottle to bring home!
I would love to get a glass of wine and walk around the garden the next time I'm back in Napa! Definitely recommend you do the same!
A must see for anyone visiting Napa!
Located at an authentic French-style 19th century chateau, this beautiful winery makes award winning old world style wines. (Truly, check out the movie "Bottle Shock" to learn how they put Napa Valley on the wine making map.) The grounds are gorgeous any time of the year and we enjoy my club member perks of free tastings and being able to rent a gazebo on the lake for a picnic. The staff is uniformly knowledgeable, friendly, and welcoming. I might be slightly biased because we've been club members for over a decade and also we got engaged at this place - but really that's a testament to how fabulous it is!
Really nice place to wonder and get lost 😆 love the wines
Our wine tasting experience was made unforgettable by Judith! Her deep knowledge and passion for Napa wines brought each sip to life. She shared her wealth of knowledge in a way that felt approachable, making our honeymoon wine adventure even more memorable and special!
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