The Chateau Montelena Winery is a picturesque stone-walled palace nestled into the hillsides of Napa Valley. Sample the winery’s selection of prizewinning wines as you look out over a historic Chinese garden, a lake and the rows of vines that stretch out into the distance. Discover the chateau’s sprawling grounds, which are etched with the estate’s fascinating history.
Make your way through Chateau Montelena’s cast-iron gates and admire the manor’s rustic 19th-century architecture. Explore the chateau’s elegant interior and stroll to the Estate Room. Follow a timeline of Chateau Montelena’s intriguing heritage when you peruse the displays of artifacts from each point in the estate’s history.
The chateau’s tasting room showcases the delectable varietals and vintages that have been produced on this site since the 1970s. The winery put California on the global winemaking map in 1976, when a Chateau Montelena chardonnay came in first place at the Paris Tasting ahead of local French wines. Sample the acclaimed chardonnay or try zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and riesling.
Stroll across the grounds, which were purchased by the gold-rush entrepreneur Alfred Loving Tubbs in 1882. Chateau Montelena operated as a winery until the prohibition era, after which the Tubbs family sold the estate to a Chinese couple.
Wander down the staircase and pass by the lawns and bocce court to reach the charming Chinese-style garden that the couple created. Walk across the red-painted footbridges that span Jade Lake and admire the tranquil greenery. Beyond Jade Lake, you can see the rolling vineyards framed by the distant mountain range.
Stop by the winery’s shop to browse some of the souvenir vintages and varietals that you enjoyed during the tasting.
Reach the up-valley winery of Chateau Montelena by car. Napa Valley and the winery hub of Calistoga are easy to reach from San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. The chateau and its tasting room are open daily, except for Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
