In 1976, the Judgment of Paris blind tasting changed the course of wine history, placing Chateau Montelena, and Napa Valley, firmly on the world stage. 

Fifty years on, Bo Barrett, CEO of Chateau Montelena and involved in every vintage at the winery since 1972, joins winemaker Matt Crafton for an exclusive Decanter masterclass in London. 

Introduced by Decanter Editor Amy Wislocki, this exclusive guided tasting will explore a vertical of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from noteworthy vintages, alongside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, including the iconic 2007, offering insight into the past, present and future of one of California’s most revered estates.

See the tasting line-up →

CEO, Chateau Montelena

As Chateau Montelena’s Chief Executive Officer, Bo Barrett is a lifelong advocate for the people, creative
spirit and storytelling at Montelena.

Bo has been involved in every vintage at Montelena since his family assumed ownership in 1972. While
completing his degree in Viticulture and Enology at Fresno State, Bo spent each fall at Chateau Montelena
working harvest. The work proved to be difficult yet rewarding, and motivated him to take on more
responsibility. In 1982, Bo earned the appointment to winemaker, and was subsequently appointed to
Chief Executive Officer in 2013. He credits his father, and winery founder, Jim Barrett for his work ethic
and unrelenting persistence. 'When my father started this winery, his goal was to take the incredible fruit
from this historic piece of land and make the best wine we possibly can.'

Today, Bo honours that vision with a legacy of wines that transcend ratings or trends, and remain true to
Montelena's origins. This foundational philosophy extends to the team of employees he has built. 'We
hire the very best people we can, communicate our expectations, and give them the freedom to do their
jobs well.' Bo continues to propel Montelena forward with the same commitment to excellence it was
founded upon.

Winemaker, Chateau Montelena

Matt Crafton leads production as Winemaker at Chateau Montelena, overseeing operations while shaping strategy, education, and technology. Originally pursuing finance after earning an Economics degree from the University of Virginia in 2003, Matt followed his passion for winemaking, starting in the cellar and embracing his father’s advice: “All you can do is control how hard you work.” After building experience across the East Coast, Napa, and Sonoma, he joined Montelena as Enologist in 2008 and became Winemaker in 2014.

Matt creates terroir-driven wines while advancing sustainability, operational resilience, and mentorship programs, embracing innovation and perfection in every project.

Magazine Editor, Decanter

Amy joined Decanter in 2000 as Magazine Editor. She has 30 years’ experience in publishing, and worked at a senior level for leading companies in the consumer, business-to-business and contract publishing arenas, before joining Decanter.

As well as overseeing content planning and production for the print offering – and writing for the magazine and website when time permits – she was also involved in developing digital channels, Decanter.com and Decanter Premium.