Ward was amazing! One of the most thorough tastings I've ever had. Wine was great. So glad we stumbled upon it.

Amazing experience and if you ever have an opportunity to visit... worth while! You will learn a lot not just how good their wines are but, the type of soil as well as grapes that work well with specific soil. What are waiting for ... "Go!". read more

If you can't make the trek up to Calistoga, the Chateau Montelena tasting room at the Westin St. Francis is the ultimate San Francisco shortcut. It's a sophisticated, intimate pocket of wine country tucked away in the lobby of one of the city's most historic hotels. Mr. Chiang was a wonderful and most gracious host. He shared the story of the "judgement of Paris", which is what had me drawn to the tasting room. As a somm, I am fully aware of the story, but I don't recall ever having the wine before. And as a big fan of Bourgogne, I took advantage of the opportunity to try the famous chardonnay. Simply put, it's reminiscent of a Grand Crus Bourgogne... something from Montrachet but with a little more sunshine. No wonder the judges picked them! And the rest of their wines were no less impressive. When you swirl a glass of their Cabernet, you can taste that distinct Calistoga "dust" and the structure that comes from their specific hillside vineyards. I've always considered graphite and cassis the hallmark of a good cab, and both are present in their 2013 cab. Still youthful, vibrant, and very balanced with the perfect tanning. The Riesling deserves a shout out because it's beautiful. If you are a fan of GG Mosel Riesling, then this wine will give you a run for your money. Lastly, their 2023 Zinfandel is brilliant and youthful, but can definitely use another 5-8 years to add more layers and complexity. But if you like fresh red fruits with a hint of darker berries mixed with the same volcanic dust notes as the Cab, this would be a great choice! It's a testament to their winemaking that the sense of place travels so well in the bottle. And when the opportunity arises, I would like to be able to visit the chateau and breathe in the terroir... read more

Brought two friends and Russell, again was a great server, with a great sense of humor! As usual, he was professional and full of funny stories and Great history. Especially enjoyed finding out that I never saw the movie, Bottle Shock from 2008. It was fun, watching it, knowing that Château Montelena was in it! Won't give up the ending if you hadn't seen it. read more

We had the pleasure of meeting Rex today, he was informative, kind, and kept the tasting moving. He navigated ppl coming and going with grace. Made sure everyone got questions answered and had fun facts about the wine and the winery. Hoping to see Rex at our next visit and look forward to visiting Calistoga soon. read more

Chateau Montelena - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friends and I stumbled on the Chateau Montelena tasting room in San Francisco. I was so excited to learn it was the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris. My friends did not know this story. Russell made us feel so welcome and shared all the great stories with us. Our tasting experience there and with Russell was so memorable. I highly recommend stopping in to meet Russell. And he'll make sure you have a delightful experience with some incredible wines! read more

Great little pit stop while staying at the hotel (though a hotel stay is not required). Ward was a great host, very friendly, and quite knowledgeable of the various wines. He added a little bit of personal flair when story telling of the history, flavors, soils, etc. I would definitely recommend stopping in for a fun time. read more

Fun spot. stopped in and had a great time with my wife. The tasting was very good and the host was spot on

WOW! This tasting room is fantastic. Cozy, intimate, fun, and the wine is delicious. But, the true gem here is RUSSELL! I mean, talk about a wine tasting experience! This was one of the most engaging wine tasting experiences that I've ever had. From the intricate details about the history of the winery to actually tasting a vintage magnum from 2003; Russell kept us engaged from beginning to end. I've never been to Chateau Montelena's grand estate in Calistoga, so this was essentially my first time tasting their wines. My goodness! I've been missing out. Seriously! The wine is just dynamite here! First of all; their Sauvignon Blanc is golden. As a die hard Chardonnay lover, this Sauvignon Blanc totally caught me off guard. The beautiful tropical and floral notes, the citrus, the light acidity and minerality. All of the things that I generally love in a Chardonnay (and a white wine in general) were packed into this Sauvignon Blanc. Like, whaaat? It was so light. So refreshing. So balanced. Lightly oaked but enjoyably so. This is not like the Sauv Blancs that I'm used to. I loved it. I purchased it. It was delightful. Mmm. Next, I must rave about their Zinfandel. I'm a Zinfandel gal, so I had a feeling that after tasting that scrumptious Sauv Blanc that I was going to love this Zin. I was right. Jammy with that lovable dark fruit and a hint of spice. Soft tannins that are balanced out by the fruitiness. I've since drank the bottle, but this Zinfandel was my favorite wine from the tasting. Just totally up my alley and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also have to mention that their Cabs are just exceptional. They're definitely bold but oh so balanced. This is what Chateau Montelena is known for, and I completely understand why. The complexity of these Cabs is nothing to play with. Just beautiful wines all around. But aside from the amazing wine, I really loved learning about the history and the family behind the winery. Russell is an amazing story teller. It was almost as if he was once there in a past life. His passion speaks louder than words and you can see and feel it instantly. It also helps that this is a very intimate environment. It's almost like you're one on one with the winemaker. These types of wine tasting experiences nowadays are so rare. Hats off to Russell for providing genuine hospitality and knowledge like this in the tasting room. What a gem he is! A class act and a phenomenal representation of Chateau Montelena Winery. Kudos to my friend Christine to exposing me to this amazing place! The Westin Saint Francis should be lucky to have such a great tasting room in their facility. I'm excited to finally visit their grand estate soon, but I'm even more excited to come back here for another wine tasting experience with Russell! read more

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We so enjoyed our tasting! Our host Christian was amazing, he was so knowledgeable and engaging, super impressed! read more

Chateau Montelena - Chateau Montelena - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

Just finished reading The Judgment of Paris and seeing Bottleshock the musical, about Chateau Montelena winning the blind taste testing in France in 1976, so was really excited about tasting their wines. The tasting was $40 for 4 wines, including a $200 Cabernet; they were all very good. Best of all, our server, Michael, was so knowledgeable and had tons of interesting stories to tell. Best of all, a colleague showed up and bought us a $200 bottle of Cab to share. Look forward to visiting their winery. read more

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I believe it is the only tasting room in San Francisco from any winery at Napa Valley. The tasting room is located inside St Francis Westin Hotel at Union Square. Open 7 days a week. Staffs there are friendly helpful and knowledgeable. If you are their club member then tasting is free. Tasting includes a variety of their white and red wine including the estate cab. As club member you can pick up wine subscription there instead of at their winery in Napa. I went there sometimes with friends or visitors before actual happy hour . Wine from montelena is very good especially the estate cab. Will drop by again next time I need to pick up club wine. read more

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Russell is honestly one of the most informative wine tasting host. Not only did we have great wine but the service was amazing! 10/10 for Russell! Our favorite wine was the estate cab! But a close second is actually the Chardonnay. It's a small tasting room fit for 6 people so if you have 6 people's in your party this would be a great place to go to, very intimate! read more

Chateau Montelena - Wine tasting list - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

We had the most incredible tasting this Saturday with Lin! She had such an amazing energy and made us feel right at home as soon as we stepped into the Chateau. She shared all the great history of the Chateau and each specific wine we tried, as well as what to pair them with, etc. But as Lin said it best, they are best paired with friends xoxo Lin's Divas read more

Our intention was to visit a nearby Irish pub the evening we stepped in for a tasting at the Château Montelena tasting room inside the Westin St. Francis lobby. We never made it to the pub. Our on a whim decision was wonderfully rewarded. Château Montelena wines are dry to very dry. If this isn't a style or expression of wine you enjoy when drinking than perhaps a tasting with them isn't for you. Since dry wines are what me and my traveling companion have been drawn to over the last ten years, the wines were ideal. We especially enjoyed the Chardonnay because it was missing the buttery finish on the tongue. After our tasting we purchased and enjoyed, back in our room, a bottle of their 2005 Chardonnay with a wood fired oven baked pizza and some meatballs we picked up from a local restaurant. It was a delightful and relaxing last night in San Francisco. Our tasting was with Alexander. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and just what a host of tastings should be, nonjudgmental. I write this because we were dressed to go eat at a pub, not taste and purchase nearly $500 worth of wine. We didn't look like fancy the fancy wine drinkers we actually are and we weren't treated as if we had no business in the tasting room. The downside of this small tasting room for six is that if you start your tasting and another group enters for a tasting, you'll have to listen to all the tasting notes and information which goes with wines you've already finished. That's what happened to us. Also, if the other group that is seated and starts their tasting after you're well into yours is a wine snob you'll be stuck listening to them pontificate. Really would have preferred the other group having to wait a few more minutes for us to finish our tasting as we were well into the second to the last wine. read more

Chateau Montelena - Empty bottle of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stayed at the Westin St. Francis for a quick staycation while hosting a friend from abroad. As a Marriott Titanium member, I was gifted either free continental breakfast or wine tasting for two. Of course we pick the one that has alcohol! My friend and I tried the five item wine flight. The Marriott perk comes with three, but for only $10/person you can upgrade to the five item menu. Service - Solid. There's ONE sommelier working so everyone was quite patient knowing he was doing his best to serve everyone with care. He was SUPER knowledgeable and friendly...a totally wine nerd and I loved it! We tried to tip at the end, and he said in the traditions of old wine houses...they do not accept a gratuity. So classy. Ambience - So elegant and charming, but quite small. I didn't mind standing and perching at a counter. Without the Marriott perk, I would definitely shell out money to do this again on future visits. read more

Chateau Montelena - Yummy Sauv Blanc! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

A big shout out to Russell! He's named in a number of reviews here and he, as the Tasting Room Manager, really does an amazing job of curating a wine tasting plus a storytelling session of the Chateau Montelena. Popped in while staying at the Westin. It's a small tasting room - literally one room - but it provides an intimate, cozy experience that I do miss while at some larger wineries. All in all, each of the wines were surprising, in a good way! While we didn't buy any this trip, we did bookmark the winery to visit next month when we're closer to Calistoga to really get more of the experience. read more

Nice wine tasting right in the city. Great education and delicious wine. Such a nice experience.

As a member, we came back for our library tasting. Due to pandemic, tasting moved to outdoor. Was good to see our winery back to business. Their cab is mineral and complex, which are our favorite. Hope someday it will fully open and we can sitting in the castle tasting wine. read more

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First time to this historic chateau, and it was during Covid. The winery has beautiful landscaping, magnificent buildings, but is lush and tucked-away, so arriving feels like you've discovered a secret. They've taken Covid precautions seriously, and we were so grateful for that - with so many tourists from other parts of the country, keeping up this high standard was so appreciated, and they weren't weird about it; it was just a matter of course. Then, the wines... what can you say? You get what you came for: exemplary wines in an excellent setting. If you're lucky enough to get Vince as your guide, even better. But he's tough to get, and I'm sure the rest are wonderful, too! Thank you, thank you to everyone at Chateau Montelena! It was amazing, and we can't wait to come back and see the indoors! read more

What took me so long? Finally booked a wine tasting at Chateau Montelena and we were not disappointed. Don't wait, go NOW! Mark R gave an informative tour and our tasting was outside on a lovely patio. The wine, chateau, Jade lake and butterflies. Pretty and delicious! read more

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Had a very pleasant time in the tasting room with Lin and Quinnie! Delicious wines and a gorgeous setting. Highly recommend!

Loved Bottle Shock so a visit to Chateau Montelena was a must for us. The tasting was professional and by the book and Russell did his best with the COVID restrictions and precautions they are implementing. Unfortunately the wine falls short and lacks depth and character. They are resting on their laurels from their 1976 win and need to make some serious changes. The Chardonnay doesn't taste like Chardonnay and the Cabs don't taste like Cabs and they are proud of that fact however, if you are looking for a Chardonnay who wants a Chenin Blanc? read more

Too much talking. We love history and the scenery but our host talked too much, the wines might have been okay but not worth the money or the timeshare style sales pitch. We went to Frank Family and stayyyyyed. It was lovely wine and a genuine experience. read more

Who knew Napa Valley's only premiere wine tasting rooms is in the heart of San Francisco's epicenter of shopping known as Union Square? The Chateau Montelena Winery might physically be located in the heart of wine country in Calistoga, a mere stones throw away from the Old Faithful Geyser, but did you know that they have a secondary tasting room located on the first floor in between the atrium and the lobby of the Westin St. Francis Hotel in what is known as one of the largest tourist meeting spots in the city? Well I am here to share with you that a small room is in fact here with everything you'd expect from an actual tasting room in the Napa Valley, from the bottles of Cabs and Chards, ready to be sold at a counter with four bar stools ready to serve you a tasting of five of Chateau Montelena's finest bottles for only twenty-five dollars. And they are really here to serve you and they want you to buy, so my tip is to ask for a shared tasting and they'll let you split one glass (or two) between the two of you for those more frugal sippers looking to sip and see and considering what they want to buy. Which you know we all do at the end of the day of drinking! I came on a rainy yet very busy San Francisco Saturday in the heart of holiday shopping with my dear friend and fellow Elite Yelper Christine R who discovered this unknown gem years ago and had been to the actual Chateau Montelena Winery in Calistoga many times over and was a real fan of their wines. It turns out she was totally right about the wines at Chateau Montelena, they tasted crisp with an addition kick to them. Tasting Room Lead Russell Chang treated us as if we were wine club members as he even remembered Christine from her previous visit. (This man even takes notes!) For 25 dollars there is a tasting menu of five wines: the Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2015, Chardonnay Napa Valley 2014, Zinfandel Napa Valley 2013, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007 and the Cabernet Sauvignon Montelena Estate 2009. The fact that the Tasting Menu is laminated tells me that this list has been pretty much set in stone for quite some time and that's quite alright with me. As the Sauvignon Blanc had a real edge to it and the Zinfandel went down really smoothly. The fact that they open their 2009 Cab from their own estate every day at a retail value of 165 dollars really says Chateau Montelena really wants to impress the masses that happen to come in when the room is open seven days a week from 1-8pm. Russell Chang was a real leader when it came to running their San Francisco Tasting Room. We were there for almost ninety minutes and a number of couples and crowds came into the small tasting room and he always managed to make it work. As he continuously poured, he always managed to share information into the history of the Chauteau Montelena Winery in Calistoga with many of of the tasters that were not too familiar with the place, so this was a real learning process. He was nice enough to comp our tasting because Christine had been so many times before and she really talked him up, she was gracious enough to then buy me a Riesling because she knew I'd love it and we wanted to support the winery in any way we could. I'm so glad that this place exists, I just wish it was larger so it could accommodate more people. Can I suggest they take over the old Michael Mina's Bourbon Restaurant nearby in the Westin's lobby, which closed many months ago, and now sits idle? That place is dying to become a wine tasting room and the hotel's new owners just need a little nudge in the right direction. Who's with me? When Christine previously told me that this place even existed, I didn't believe her I mean there's a tasting room of an actual working Napa Valley Winery in the lobby of the most famous hotels in the city? Whoever thought this ingenious idea should be praised because whatever their doing at Chateau Montelena is clearly working. read more

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The grounds of this winery were absolutely beautiful, it was sad that the drought had taken a toll on Jade Lake. Our tasting experience was so so, however our wine hostess Lin was a phenomenal person. We could've stayed a couple of hours talking to her not just about wine but about life as well. She made our experience extra special! read more

Chateau Montelena's property speaks for itself in beauty, but our guide Vince made our tasting more than just a few sips of wine. He made the entire experience laughable with incredible historical knowledge. His refined palate can also easily decipher any wine and its year as well as the different flavors that each harvest produced. We will definitely be coming back in March/April per his recommendation to see the full bloom of the vineyard. Thank you again, Vince, for making our experience so amazing! Yours truly, Golden Child & his boss :) read more

Paid $70 for special tasting in "the library". There is no Chateau, no cellars, nothing can be visited. Grossly overpriced, and they were VERY upset when we were not interested in buying a six pack of "future" 2019 cabernet for $150 per bottle... They just have posters and a bottle they say won a contest in France 50 years ago. read more

************************** 595 **************************** The Chateau Montelena Tasting room is located inside the Westin St. Francis Hotel in Union Square, the heart of San Francisco. I would walk right by it and wouldn't even noticed till I came back from the washroom, what a nice surprise. It took over the the jewelry shop spot. Right behind the Bourbon Steakhouse, on the left side. A representative from the Chateau is there pouring wine four days a week, from WED-SAT, 1 PM-8 PM. For only $15, I got to taste 4 wines: - 2010 Riesling - nice and crisp. - 2009 Chardonay - soft, fresh with bright citrus tones. This can hold for another few years. - 2008 Zinfandel - bright ruby-red with good clarity, rich aromatic, earthy and berry, surprisingly smooth. - 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon - Deep indensity, dark ruby, good nose, earthy, rich and full body. I love this cab! Their 2006 cab was rated 92 points outstanding, 2007 can be better if hold for another 4-7 years out! Beside the wines, they offer books, and other wine related products. Since the tasting room is quite small, standing is the only option here. Ryan the sales rep explained every pour thoroughly and great hospitality to all guests. I picked up the Judgment of Paris, California vs. France and The Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine by George M. Taber book, was personally signed by the author. I was more than thrilled! It's a good read so far, I can't wait to finish it on my trip to Hawaii! You can sign up to be on their mailing list of wine clubs here as welI.I was so happy that it will be here for good, not 1 of those pop-up tasting room for the holidays only! Chateau Montelena is 1 of the most prestige wines in the Napa Valley and well respected producer in the world. I was like a kid in a candy store. Just found another fab spot for my shopping breaks! Is it wine o'clock yet? read more

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Love getting bottles of Riesling and Chardonnay here without having to drive up to Calistoga. Pair the riesling with some spicy foods and voila! Buy your bottles and have dinner at Michael Mina's restaurant ($25 corkage fee) or nearby restaurants i.e., Morton's, Cheesecake Factory, Burger Bar, Scala's Bistro, Kuleto's, etc. A variety of restaurants to choose from in the heart of Union Square and delicious sushi places, perfectly paired with Chardonnay if you choose not to have Sake. Of course, the Chateau is nice to visit, I'm extremely happy there's a tasting room in this timeless classic SF Hotel "The Westin St. Francis". So much to see and do before or after the tasting, and convenient for us folks who don't feel like making the trek up through Napa Valley. read more

As members we take part of Library and Cellarmaster tastings in Calistoga, but took the opportunity to taste current releases while we were in SF. CM wines are all very good and within price points for just about everyone. Today Russell gave us a special taste of the Ruby port, which is a member only benefit. Neither of us are sweet/port fans, but we were impressed impressed with this one. Port will be the end of our upcoming holidays meals. Cheers. read more

Chateau Montelena - Current release Tasting menu - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went for a semi private library tasting. The estate is gorgeous, the fields, the gardens, everything is so pretty. Kathleen was our hostess and she was very informative and sweet. The wines we tasted were great and the full experience was enjoyable. Definitely would recommend this particular tasting as you get to enjoy some high end wines not easily accessible at your local shops. read more

Russel was spectacular! Great tasting and good energy. Very informative tasting and the wine was delicious. Couldn't recommend more.

Walked in with 40 left prior to close. It was in a hotel, very small but inviting. Was pleased when Russell said he'd still do a tasting. Made myself comfortable, and he walked me through the wines. Riesling was very good, chard even better. I'm usually not a zin fan but the style is very light and I can see having food with it, a grilled burger! Cabs were amazing. So good I bought a half bottle of the 2013 estate cab. This was a splurge ($92 with tax) because I wanted my final evening on our balcony in Hilton tower to be exceptional. Anticipating it all day, we finally open, get nice wine glasses and pour. Major disappointment, almost heartbroken. The cab was corked. We had prosecco in the fridge for breakfast, so all was not ruined. Still a great tasting done by Russell and fantastic wines, even joined the club. I think Russell represents the winery and does a fantastic job in that little room. Fantastic, almost perfect weekend in San Fran. read more

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Lin was our hostess at the tasting bar, she provided amazing service. So informative, kind and friendly! Definitely recommend visiting!

I thought this place was OK. Maybe I'm still a too poor millennial to appreciate fine wine because I felt like this was way overpriced. Hubs and I strolled in, this place is REALLY small, literally a room. It's located inside the Westin St. Regis, tucked away by the entrance, and if I didn't actively look for it, I think I'd pass right by it. There are only 6 seats or so, so if you don't time it correctly, you can't really do a wine tasting. Our guy (forgot his name) was knowledgeable about the wine and the history of the winery. Full of anecdotal information and an easy going personality. His pours were not generous, literally a sip. I believe we paid $30 per tasting and I just felt like the wines/experience didn't justify it. read more

Fantastic wine. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. Plan a picnic lunch and enjoy their lush Gardens. We have seriously considered becoming members due to the consistently great white wines, tasting room in Napa as well as San Francisco. The history makes it all that much sweeter. Cannot wait to return. read more

Absolutely amazing! Their wine is world famous for good reason. But the staff there at the tasting room was informative, over the top friendly and fun. I went with my wife mom step dad and step grandma(who doesn't speak English). The staff amazing! We went just for a taste and we left with 12 bottles of wine. Fantastic!!! Will come back as often as I can. Plus the taste is only 25 dollars with is amazing since its world class wine. read more

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We weren't able to visit the chateau in Napa, so we we determined to visit the tasting roomin downtown SF. Glad we did! Russell was a great source of information and showed us some of the greatness this legendary winery has to offer. A must visit for wine enthousiasts! read more

Lin was amazing and very friendly and kind. Wine was superb. The view was unbeatable!