Château Montelena Winery, Calistoga, Napa Valley

Château Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley 2022

Château Montelena Winery (Barrett Family)

Château Montelena Chardonnay 2022 is the proving ground that changed the wine world — and then kept going. The 1976 Judgment of Paris proved that California could rival Burgundy; every vintage since has proved that the result was no accident. Under winemaker Matt Crafton, the 2022 continues Montelena's signature style: restrained, precise, and unapologetically built for purity over power. The blocked malolactic and early picking deliver a Chardonnay of exceptional freshness and focus — a wine that lets the fruit speak rather than the oak. For a house with a Smithsonian bottle to its name, that kind of quiet confidence is the most powerful statement of all. Cocktail — The Judgment Spritz: 4 oz Château Montelena Chardonnay, 1 oz elderflower liqueur, 2 oz sparkling water, squeeze of fresh lemon. Build in a wine glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and a sprig of thyme. A light, elegant spritz that preserves the wine's delicate aromatics.