About us

Chateau Montelena is one of the icons of Californian winemaking. Its history dates back to 1882, when Alfred Tubbs, a businessman from San Francisco, founded his winery and built a castle in the French Gothic style.

After years of ups and downs, including a period of prohibition, the winery acquired its current name, Chateau Montelena, in 1940. Its unique atmosphere today is complemented by Chinese gardens with Jade Pond, created by the owners in the 1950s. In the early 1970s, the winery was purchased by Jim Barrett, and the Barrett family continues to manage the vineyards to this day.

The turning point came in 1976 at the famous Paris wine tasting, where Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena unexpectedly beat the best French wines. This triumph forever changed the perception of Napa Valley and placed Chateau Montelena among the world's wine elite.

Today, Jim's son Bo Barrett, who has been involved with the winery since its inception in 1972, continues this vision. Together with head winemaker Matt Crafton and sales director Jock Busser, they form a team that strives to create wines that honor terroir, tradition, and timelessness.

Our mission is to create wines that transcend trends and ratings—wines that tell the story of Chateau Montelena.