Chateau Montelena Napa is a must-see on any trip to Napa Valley California!
We had the opportunity to taste multiple Chateau Montelena Napa wines and tour the grounds during our trip to Napa Valley.
I don't think I can put into words how unbelievably gorgeous the grounds are at Chateau Montelena Napa. I hope that our pictures convey the amazing beauty that surrounds Chateau Montelena Napa.
Chateau Montelena - Napa Valley, California
One tip for visiting Chateau Montelena Napa is to park in the lower parking lot. This gives you the opportunity to walk up the stairs and see the impressive chateau!
The facade of Chateau Montelena has not changed since its 1882 construction by founder Alfred Tubbs. In 1972 the interior was converted from a barrel storage facility into a modern winery.
When you park in the top parking lot you enter from the side and may miss the grandeur that is Chateau Montelena Napa! We parked on the top and then toured the winery. I would have been really sad if we would have missed seeing the entire Chateau. It is seriously amazing!
The Chateau Montelena offers many types of wine tastings. We had the opportunity to taste many of the wines produced by the Chateau Montelena and really enjoyed the tasting.
The tasting room once served as a hobby workshop for Yort Frank who purchased the winery from Alfred Tubb's descendants in 1958. Today the winery tasting room is the main point of entry and the start of your visit to Chateau Montelena.
It is well worth taking the time to explore the Chateau Montelena and view the wine-making history that has taken place since the Chateau was built.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the famed 1976 Paris tasting and helped propel California to the forefront of the wine world.
Jade Lake sits below Chateau Montelena. The lake was originally going to be a moat but they stopped partway and decided to make just the lake.
You will notice that the footbridges were built crooked along the lake. This is to honor the Chinese legend that evil spirits can only travel over water in straight lines.
There are pavilions and islands that can be used by special guests of the Chateau for picnics and special events. The pavilions offer an amazing view of the estate vineyard.
The gardens surrounding Chateau Montelena are breathtaking! Even on a rainy Napa Valley day, we enjoyed wandering the gardens and exploring Jade Lake.
I can't imagine how gorgeous the area is in the Fall during harvest. This is one of those areas that is unbelievably beautiful year-round.
You can take a self-guided tour of the grounds of Chateau Montelena during your visit. There are pamphlets available that describe the history of the Chateau and Jade Lake.
Travel Information
You can find out more about Chateau Montelena Napa by checking out their Facebook, YouTube pages.
Chateau Montelena Napa is located at 1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, California
TASTING ROOM HOURS 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily
Chateau Montelena Napa offers a variety of tastings. You can find out about each of the tastings offered on the Chateau Montelena Tasting Room website. Tastings start at $20 per person depending on the tasting you choose. You can make a reservation for specific tasting opportunities on the website.
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