$1,500

The most prominent feature of the 2006 harvest was that we saw both warm vintage and cool vintage characteristics in the same year, and nowhere was that more pronounced than here on the Montelena Estate. The growing season was mild, with greater than average spring rains, and then from veraison through the first half of the harvest the Estate saw a lot of heat and drying winds. Mid-September a cold snap hit that virtually halted harvest for close to two weeks. The second half of the harvest was significantly cooler and the fruit that came in then reflected that. The great part is that we got the best of both worlds –power, intensity, and ripe jammy flavors from the first half, balance, elegance, and more subtle notes from the second half. All of this resulted in a wine that has a lot of interest, broad appeal, and the structure to last for decades to come. The 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has an enticing deep garnet red color in the glass. On the nose there are complex notes of blackberry tart, clove, cinnamon, and cocoa, along with dried black currants. The mouth has a soft supple entry, youthful crisp acidity, juicy plum and rich bright red fruit notes, all complemented by loads of fine grain tannin and an under-layer of dried black currant. -Winemaker Bo Barrett This 3.0L bottle of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Montelena is personally signed by winemaker Bo Barrett, and golfers Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, making the value much higher than listing price.