WTN: Chat. Montelena Chardonnay Napa 2001

[Carema]

An incredibly balanced wine, a thouroughbred, like good St Aubin from America, and worked with tomatoe sauce and butterscotch pudding. Not quite ripe pink lady apples and bartlett pears abound and it smells like wine, not dessert which is always refreshing. I was puzzled by the elongated yet slightly dissatisfying finish until my eight year old pointed out to me that it was corked. And indeed, the lowest level of TCA ever detected by a human was found on this particular bottle. Now I keep sniffing it, smelling all the regular good stuff yet now unable to get past that miniscule, tiny TCA bit that is ruining my night. How did he get that? I thought I was queen of cork. I must relinquish my crown. I hope he is ready at eight. We are going to visit in burgundy soon. God help them all. I still recommend it, for its restraint and poise yet now I need to try an untainted bottle. Christ! This is why we call him Jr smeller.

[KatieLoeb]

An incredibly balanced wine, a thouroughbred, like good St Aubin from America, and worked with tomatoe sauce and butterscotch pudding. Not quite ripe pink lady apples and bartlett pears abound and it smells like wine, not dessert which is always refreshing. I was puzzled by the elongated yet slightly dissatisfying finish until my eight year old pointed out to me that it was corked. And indeed, the lowest level of TCA ever detected by a human was found on this particular bottle. Now I keep sniffing it, smelling all the regular good stuff yet now unable to get past that miniscule, tiny TCA bit that is ruining my night. How did he get that? I thought I was queen of cork. I must relinquish my crown. I hope he is ready at eight. We are going to visit in burgundy soon. God help them all. I still recommend it, for its restraint and poise yet now I need to try an untainted bottle. Christ! This is why we call him Jr smeller.

There is undoubtedly a future for your son in France. Either as a winemaker/cuvee blender or perhaps as an insured "nose" for a Perfume house in Grasse!

[DaleW]

An incredibly balanced wine, a thouroughbred, like good St Aubin from America, and worked with tomatoe sauce and butterscotch pudding. Not quite ripe pink lady apples and bartlett pears abound and it smells like wine, not dessert which is always refreshing.

Sorry re the TCA. I'm in the middle of the perception spectrum, but often wonder how many slightly disappointing bottles are lightly corked.

I haven't had the 2001, but the Montelena chard is probably the CalChard that has most appealed to me over years. My notes from a couple weeks ago on the 2000:

2000 Chateau Montelena Napa Chardonnay - big Chard, apple and pear fruit, a little spice. Noticable oak, but not overwhelming. Good crispness (I don't think they do malo). At $26 this is worth cellaring a couple. B+/A