HAUTE WINE
CHATEAU MONTELENA Celebrating 50 years under the creative stewardship of the Barrett Family BY ROBERT B RICHARDS
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PHOTO COURTESY OF POTION ADAPTOGENIC BREWS PHOTO CREDIT: © ROBERT B RICHARDS
WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE GHOST WINERY IN 1972, the vineyards were neglected, the cellar floor was dirt, and there was no equipment to speak of. Nevertheless, we had a vision and recruited the right people throughout the years to build Montelena into what it is today," Bo Barrett shares as he leads us through the wine caves he built throughout the years. We meander through over a kilometer of caves as Barrett shares the intrepid stories that make this winery and his life so unique. "When we ran out of money, the cave just stopped, so we had to deal with it until we had enough money to start digging again. When that happens, you get very creative." Bo laughs as he takes a sip of the 50th Anniversary Chardonnay created especially for this year's celebrations. To truly appreciate the history of Chateau Montelena, let's step back in time. The story begins in 1882, when San Francisco entrepreneur A.L. Tubbs bought 254 acres of rugged land to build a winery. He planted the first vineyards
Three of the pours we enjoyed at Chateau Montelena
