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Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - similar in Aus?
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:08 pm
by pdudley
We recently came back from a holiday in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Despite neither of us being chardonnay fans, we both loved the 2009 Chateau Montelena chardonnay. I was wondering if anyone knew of any chardonnays in Australia that would taste similar to it? The Chateau Montelena chardonnay is only available in Australia from a reseller in Perth and we are in Melbourne.
Cheers
Paul
Re: Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - similar in Aus?
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:57 pm
by damonpeyo
Rarely seen Napa Valley Whites here, always Reds.
Chateau Montelena is in Calistoga.
http://www.napavintners.com/about/napa_valley_appellations.aspxCalistoga AVA
Climate: Warm to hot, depending upon time of year; lower humidity; summer temperatures peak to 90°F (32.2°C) and fall to low 50s°F (11°C), the result of marine air from the northwest; cool afternoon and evening breezes
Elevation: 300 to 1200 ft (92 to 370m)
Rainfall: 38 to 60 inches (96.5 to 150cm) annually
Soils: Almost completely of volcanic origin, soils range from rocky, stony loam on the hillsides, to gravelly or cobbly loams on the alluvial fans, to heavier clay-silt soils in the valley center areas
I have no idea of similar Chardonnay in Australia as I have never sampled them Napa Valley's Chardonnay's.
Re: Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - similar in Aus?
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:34 pm
by TiggerK
Given most have never tried it, maybe some pointers as to what aspects of it you particularly enjoyed?? Buttery? Spicy? Rich? Minerally?
Fair to say that wine is often more enjoyable 'in situ' as it were too......
You could also ask the reseller what they think?
Re: Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - similar in Aus?
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:23 pm
by pdudley
Well this ties in with another post of mine - despite the fact that it is a wooded chardonnay they have no melolactic fermentation in their chardonnay. So it does not have that oily, buttery oaky taste that always reminds me of when I used to have to oil my cricket bat when I was a kid...
Cheers
Paul