We grilled lamb chops last night so I opened a bottle of 2002 Chateau
Montelena that I found in my orphan bin. I stopped buying Montelena
when the winery was alledgedly hit with TCA issues. The cost and risk
just didn't work for me. I suspect the bottle was a gift from a
dinner guest. The wine was still quite dark and dense in the glass.
Effusive nose of cassis, black plum and Napa dusty notes. Still quite
youthful on the palate with very ripe blackberry, cassis and plum a
fair amount of anise a slight smokey note and plush smooth tannins.
There is a nice balance to this wine and like most Montelena wines I
suspect it can last up to 25 years. Quite nice 'A-"