A weekend in the Wine Country is always a nice get-away from busy city life, but if you’re too busy to do that, there’s a new option right in the heart of San Francisco. Chateau Montelena Winery has opened its first ever fully owned-and-operated tasting room at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square, offering an exclusive selection of Chateau Montelena wines.

Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley winery that began in 1882 and became particularly famous after the 1976 Judgment of Paris wine competition where the winery’s 1973 vintage Chardonnay took home several awards in blind taste tests. The current vintage of the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay is available for sampling and purchase at the tasting room.  If you want to brush up on your viticulture and enology history, check out the movie Bottle Shock (2008).

The Chateau Montelena tasting room is open Wednesday through Saturday, 1pm to 8pm. Look for it across from the grand staircase in the hotel’s lobby.

Chateau Montelena Tasting Room

Westin St. Francis

335 Powell Street at Geary Street

415.397.7000

Image courtesy of Chateau Montelena Winery

• Tag: 1973 chardonnay, 1976 judgement of paris, award winner, chateau montelena winery, tasting room