CALISTOGA, Calif. (February 25, 2004) – Chateau Montelena Winery has announced that sales of futures for its 2002 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon will begin in March. Futures will be available for a limited time in selected fine wine shops around the country, and are also available on the winery’s website at www.montelena.com. Since the winery first began offering futures in 1998, each spring an unreleased vintage of Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is offered for purchase at a price that is 40% to 60% less than the eventual retail release price.  

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is the 25th vintage produced from the Montelena Estate Vineyard under the ownership and direction of the Barrett family, marking a major milestone for the winery. The success of Montelena’s futures program lies in the winery’s track record for producing consistently excellent wines which, for their Estate Cabernet, will now span a quarter of a century. “From the first, our philosophy was to concentrate on quality, not quantity,” explained James Barrett, the winery’s founder.  "Montelena futures have become very popular with those who value our 25-year track record of producing Cabernets of exceptional quality year after year."

Established in 1882, Chateau Montelena is one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries.  Purchased by the Barrett family in 1972, the vineyards were completely replanted.  Chateau Montelena bottled its first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Montelena Estate Vineyard in 1978. Planted on St. George rootstock, which is resistant to the root louse phylloxera, they are some of the oldest producing Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the Napa Valley. 

Chateau Montelena is located in the Napa Valley at 1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, CA, 94515. The winery is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for wine tasting. Tours can be reserved by phone at (707) 942-5105, by fax at (707) 942-4221, or by visiting our website at www.montelena.com

For more information call Greg Ralston or Amy DePasquale at (707) 942-5105.