HAUTE WINE
Chateau Montelena’s Winemaker, Matt Crafton
18
Bo Barrett
“The past 50 years have been truly remarkable for Chateau Montelena. We look forward to the next 50 and the incredible wines that will be produced on this magical plot of land hidden in the grassy enclaves of Calistoga.”
PHOTO CREDIT: © ROBERT B RICHARDS
"Bottle Shock is not a documentary; it’s a fanciful embellishment upon the spirit of the times and the creativity of the times, and that, I think, was accurate," shares Barrett. Today, Chateau Montelena is honored on the National Register of Historic Places and stands as a quality icon, consistently producing some of California's most refined and sought-after wines. Matt Crafton, Chateau Montelena's winemaker, is a spry young man with a clear future vision. He is successfully merging Old World traditions with leading-edge innovations. "We aim to express a wine of place and vintage. The goal is to paint with all the colors of the year, with the character of our vineyard as the common thread connecting past vintages. At the winery, we've invested in modern equipment that gives us the flexibility to adapt or change course at a moment's notice. As we experience the expression of the fruit, we can fine-tune or even make radical changes in the cellar to showcase the vintage's potential. Creativity and curiosity are encouraged and shared as we're empowered to try new ideas." The past 50 years have been truly remarkable for Chateau Montelena. We look forward to the next 50 and the incredible wines that will be produced on this magical plot of land hidden in the grassy enclaves of Calistoga.
