Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 750ml

88 Points - Stephen Tanzer Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (includes 8% merlot) Deep ruby. Medicinal blackberry and licorice on the nose, plus a whiff of band-aid. Densely packed and sweet on entry, then juicy and tight in the mid-palate, with a slightly metallic medicinal quality to the dark berry and bitter chocolate flavors. The edgy tannins call for at least 12 to 18 months of patience. This is mostly from purchased fruit but also includes some declassified estate fruit. Bo Barrett told me he looks for "a football-shaped palate." -, May/June 2010