92 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, October 1993

The 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is another great success from Chateau Montelena. It is actually performing better than the 1985 at the moment, but in the long run I do not think it will approach the heights the 1985 is capable of achieving. However, it is more forward and more flattering to taste than the 1985 was at a similar stage. This is an example of Chateau Montelena at its best. The big, cassis and chocolate-scented bouquet has a whiff of toast, but primarily relies on powerfully rich, ripe aromas that explode upward from the glass. There is no letting up in the mouth, as the wine is exceptionally concentrated, full-bodied, with softer tannins and a bit lower acidity than the 1985. It is gloriously rich and full, and while approachable now, should be at its best between 1993 and 2008.

96 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 1996

What a remarkable performance! I must admit that I purchased more of the 1985 and 1987, somehow neglecting to secure much of the 1986. Do I feel stupid? As I have written so many times in the past, every time I do a vertical tasting of Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignons, they taste better than my initial laudatory notes suggested. This great wine exhibits a black/purple color, a fabulous, sweet, pure, cassis-scented nose, massive body and richness, and total harmony among its components - fruit, wood, alcohol, acidity, and tannin. Still exceptionally youthful and vigorous, with no signs of age in either its color or taste, this 1986 could easily pass for a 3-4 year old California Cabernet. It is an extraordinary effort that appears to be a legitimate candidate for the "wine of the vintage." So what's new? Owners of this beauty should try a bottle for its pure, glorious richness, but this wine has 15-20 more years of delicious drinking. A bodacious Cabernet!

About Winery

Chateau Montelena was established in 1882, but it was almost 100 years later that Jim Barrett took control and began a renaissance. The first wines were made in 1972 and in 1976 Chateau Montelena helped put California at the forefront of the wine world. That year a who's-who of the French wine and food establishment gathered for a grand tasting in Paris.

Four white Burgundies were tasted against six California Chardonnays and Chateau Montelena's 1973 Chardonnay rated above all other wines. The results proved that Chateau Montelena could produce some of the world's finest wines and that California's wine industry had come of age. Decades later, this celebrated family-owned winery continues to thrive with Jim Barrett at the helm.

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