Time is the critical element in Montelena wines. It’s the opposite of “best practices” in agriculture and the standardised, proverbial focus on being lean and efficient. It’s in the nature of vineyard expression over the course of an entire year, or the expression of site over the decades. A wine’s maturation in barrel is delineated as a function of time, despite its inherent complexity. This, in turn, is reflected in the patience of discovery: the anticipation of a wine’s future development in the bottle. Most importantly, it’s the time taken to savour a glass – and the moment – when it’s finally opened to be enjoyed and shared.

There aren't many better than Chateau Montelena releases.