Chateaux Montelena

As Matt Crafton, Montelena's winemaker sees it, the business of Chateau Montelena hinges entirely on what ends up in the glass. “We’re real. There’s no oil money here. Every dollar comes from someone pulling a cork, so we have to think about making a delicious bottle.” That’s as opposed to marketing smoke and mirrors. “We’re not a hip, trendy brand,” he says. “But we don’t need to be. The DNA here is unique.” Spot on.