Jon Bonné, Chronicle Wine Editor
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
(07-22) 14:06 PDT CALISTOGA — Chateau Montelena, one of Napa Valley’s best-known wineries, is being purchased by the owner of one of Bordeaux’s top properties 32 years after its Chardonnay trumped France’s best in a famous tasting and helped put California wine on the world stage.
…
Unofficial rumors of a sale have circulated through Wine Country for several months, and the potential deal conveniently comes just days before the Napa Valley premiere of the movie "Bottle Shock," based on the 1973 Montelena Chardonnay outscoring top white Burgundies in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. Both the Barretts and their winemaker at the time, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, leveraged the 1976 results to become some of the most familiar names in Napa Valley.