1996 Chardonnay

Following the '93 vintage, Bo Barrett has cut back on the percentage of his estate cabernet that undergoes an extended maceration-continuing his progress toward suppler tannins that began with the purchase of a gentler destemmer in 1990. It is no coincidence that the Montelena estate cabernets of the '80s have been better-balanced wines than ever before. Incidentally, Barrett is currently describing the 1997 cabernet, from a huge crop of thick-skinned grapes, as the best wine he has ever made. During my early March visit here, I tasted with Barrett every Montelena estate cabernet made to date, beginning with the 1978; the results of this thoroughly rewarding tasting will be published in the next issue.