France

Ch. Montrose

Montrose Grand Cru Saint-Estephe

Bordeaux

Saint-Estephe

One of the greatest Montrose of the new millennium, this is a stunning wine that will give pleasure for decades to come. The richness of the texture is clear from the first pour, as is the depth of concentration in its plum colour. Powerful, balanced, cocoa bean, liqourice, espresso, slate, cassis, bilberry, damson. Slow progress thorugh the palate, feels supple yet restrained, and only just beginning its progress - one that you can without a shadow of a doubt wait another decade or more before opening. Harvest September 22 to October 17. Hervé Berland director, owned by the Bouygues family.

Inside Bordeaux

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes tearing out of the glass with rambunctious scents of creme de cassis, juicy blackberries, and blueberry pie, leading to hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and tree bark with a touch of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of bright black fruits with loads of spicy sparks and a firm, wonderfully velvety texture, finishing long and energetic.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Deep garnet-purple colored. Prances out with energetic notes of black raspberries, black currant jelly, and kirsch, leading to hints of wet slate, mossy tree bark, dried mint, and forest floor, with a touch of rose oil. The light to medium-bodied palate is like a tightly coiled string, revealing great tension and firm, fine-grained tannins to support, finishing very long and minerally. Nicely done!

Gorgeously dark and vibrant fruit, with gunsmoke and campfire, concentrated cassis and blackberry pastille, grilled almond, saffron and pomegrante, luscious but measured, showing the inky character that seems to be at the heart of the best Cabernets of this vintage, with their ripe but not overly exuberant classicism. Organic conversion, to be certified 2025. The first vintage this 1st wine of Montrose is coming only from the section of the vineyard located on Terrace 4 of the Médoc gravel banks that line the Garonne river along the peninsula. Following soil studies from Pierre Becheler, this comprises 35% of the overall production in 2023, or 45ha of vines, and is the historic heart of the property. Pierre Grafeuille director, Vincent Decup technical director.

The intensity and the depth of expression is clear from the start, with ripe damson and fig fruits, incense and espresso given balance and tension by pomegrante, slate, lemongrass and mandarin rind. Unrolls to show the depth and class of Montrose, has density without shouting, keeping the estate signature and character. The first full vintage for Pierre Grafeuille as estate director, working alongside long time technical director Vincent Decup. 12% press wine, pretty much exactly the same as ever, this really is a vineyard that delivers consistency.

Extremely impressive, this lives up to En Primeur expectations. Cloves, sandalwood, liqourice, fennel, cracked black pepper, and a ton of juicy cassis and blueberry fruit. Delicious, with well-defined tannic architecture and plenty of potential to deliver for 15 to 20 years. 55% new oak. Pierre Grafeuille director, working alongside his predecessor Herbé Berland for most of this vintage.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Montrose strides confidently out of the glass with classic scents of cassis, pencil shavings, and plum preserves followed by wafts of violets, tilled soil, and tapenade with a touch of wood smoke. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with loads of black fruit and savory layers and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with epic length and a refreshing lift.

Gorgeous rich colour here, a lovely wine full of pleasure. Chocolate, mocha, cappuccino, lots of toasted oak, great quality, with concentrated black fruits along with slate, crushed stone, smoked earth - measured, confident, delicious. I have tasted this a few times this year, and it has consistently been punching at the very top of its game. A no-brainer to recommend. 12% press wine, 47hl/ha yield, 60% new oak.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Montrose comes bounding out with powerful notes of blackcurrant cordial, chocolate-covered cherries, blueberry compote, and red roses, followed by scents of Indian spices, graphite, and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is full-on concentrated and decadent, yet has a beautifully crafted structure of firm, fine-grained tannins and balancing freshness, finishing long and spicy.

The 2017 Montrose is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in color, it skips out of the glass with bright, vibrant, and wonderfully pure notes of kirsch, redcurrant jelly, fresh blackcurrants, and black raspberries, leading to a fragrant undercurrent of lilacs, licorice, underbrush, and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is so bright and elegant, with jaw-dropping intensity and firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing with impressive length and energy.

With a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Montrose has a deep garnet color. It comes bounding out of the glass with ready-to-play notes of crushed blackberries, Morello cherries, and blackcurrant cordial, plus wafts of lilacs, Chinese five spice, and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a lively backbone and grainy tannins to successfully support the gregarious black and red berry flavors, finishing long with a spicy kick.

Noticeably younger than many in its tannic structure and fruit concentration, this has a ton of lift and a ton of slate-filled tannic grip. A stately St Esèphe, entirely in keeping with the character of this wine, lovers of classical, balalanced, concentrated Montrose will want to get hold of this - and it is just about ready to begin drinking, although zero risk of it tipping too far into tertiary over the next decade. It has delivered every time I've tasted it, and really shows itself well in a lineup against other 2014s. Harvest September 22 to October 16. Hervé Berland director.

This was a cool, rainy, and very challenging vintage! The 2013 Montrose is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, with pH 3.49. Medium garnet in color, it leaps from the glass with notes of cherry cordial, licorice, cast-iron pan, and raspberry coulis, leading to wafts of rose oil and espresso. The medium-bodied palate is bright and refreshing, with grainy, well-managed tannins and plenty of perfume to give a lingering finish. This a very impressive wine from such a difficult vintage.

Muscular tannins, bitter chocolate shavings. Feels upright and military, the polar opposite to Cos d'Estournel, in the way that Mouton is so different to Lafite. It's enjoyable, has a long life ahead, still austere at 10 years old, tobacco, cigar, you feel the architecture and the confidence as it sretches out through the palate, successful but reserved. Harvest September 24 to October 20.

The 2010 Montrose is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of swirling and coaxing to bring out notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, warm cassis, and licorice, followed by hints of mocha, tapenade, crushed rocks, and cast-iron pan. The full-bodied palate has a formidable structure of very firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the voluptuous black fruit and mineral layers, finishing long, long, long.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2009 Montrose prances out with showy notes of blackcurrant preserves, blackberry pie, dark chocolate, anise, and violets with touches of menthol and fallen leaves. The medium to full-bodied is jam packed with impactful black fruit preserves, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with epic length and wonderfully fragrant.

There was rain in September this year, and then a lot more rain in October. Veraison was late and uneven, resulting in a late harvest from 29 September to 15 October. "We had to wait until October for the Cabernet Sauvignon to reach good phenolic maturity." The 2008 Montrose is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, and is deep garnet in color with a touch of brick at the rim. After a swirl or two, a classic nose of creme de cassis and cigar box emerges, fanning out to offer notes of dried roses, incense, star anise, and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate has a sturdy structure of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness to support the maturing black fruit and mineral layers, finishing on a ferrous note.

This vintage was very rainy in August and cooler than 2006. The 2007 Montrose is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it waltzes out of the glass with a very compelling perfume of candied violets, dried mulberries, cinnamon stick, and clove oil, leading to a core of redcurrant jelly and stewed plums. The medium-bodied palate delivers impressively ripe, fine-grained tannins with seamless freshness to frame the elegantly layered red and black fruits, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

This is the first vintage with the new owners. Jean-Bernard Delmas started with this vintage and drastically reduced the amount of wine going into the Grand Vin. The 2006 Montrose, 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot, is deep garnet-brick in color. It rolls out of the glass with mature, ready-to-go scents of blackcurrant jelly, dried cherries, and mulberries, leading to wafts of incense, iron ore, wild thyme, and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate offers a good amount of black fruit and savory layers with a chewy texture and alluring tension, finishing long and minerally. This should age gracefully for another 15 years+.

The last year for Montrose under the Charmolüe family, before the Bouygues bought in 2006. Inky plum in colour, moreish from the very first sip. So juicy, such well controlled extraction, balanced but intense and concentrated, with layers of still-vibrant cassis, bilberry, eucalyptus and cocoa bean. You can now clearly see where this is heading, but it will continue to build over the next few years, and then stay on the plateau for decades. Proof that whatever the Bouygues paid for it the following year, they were getting one of the greatest estates in the Médoc. 60% new oak.

In 2004, the yields were huge for Montrose: 57 hectoliters/hectare. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, it has a medium to deep garnet color, with a touch of brick. It scoots out with eager-to-please notes of Morello cherries, blackcurrant jelly, and prunes, followed by hints of dried Provence herbs, lavender oil, tilled soil, and unsmoked cigars. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing and vibrant, with energetic black fruit and savory layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and earthy. Nicely done!

Famously a successful 2003, due to the location of Montrose next to the river at a spot when the Estuary is opening up, around 3km wide at this point, bringing essential breezes in the heat. There are still some pretty tight tannins even at going on 20 years old, and overall this is just so spicy and yet juicy. Roasted plums and blackberries, liqourice root, pencil lead, spiced cinnamon and turmeric, with fresher bay leaf and saffron notes on the finish. Love it.

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2002 Montrose is medium to deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It needs a little coaxing to bring out mature scents of tobacco leaf, new leather, damp soil, and dried herbs, leading to a core of prunes and dried cherries, plus a hint of dusty soil. The light to medium-bodied palate is elegant and refreshing, with herbal sparks lifting the savory and dried berry flavors to a long, chewy finish.

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2001 Montrose is medium to deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It opens a little broodily with slowly emerging, mature scents of cigar box, dusty soil, and iron ore, giving way to a core of redcurrant jelly and raspberry preserves, plus a hint of dried sage. The light to medium-bodied palate is mineral-laced and earthy, featuring lightly chewy tannins and bold freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.

A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2000 Montrose is medium to deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It charges out with ready-to-go notes of juicy plums, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries, opening out to a perfume of candied violets, camphor, rose oil, new leather, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and very fresh with soft, velvety tannins and bags of vibrant black and blue fruits, finishing long and perfumed. Gorgeous!

This was a rainy vintage but not so cold. The rains came late in the season, so earlier-ripening terroirs did well. Harvest at Montrose was from 16 September to 1 October. The 1999 Montrose is made from 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it needs a little swirling to bring out notes of damp soil, wet slate, anise, and dried sage, giving way to a core of plum pudding, fruitcake, and sweaty leather with a waft of tobacco. The medium-bodied palate delivers a good mouthful of expressive black fruits with firm, chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy.

The 1996 Montrose is composed of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. This was not a particularly cool vintage, but it was late. There was rain at the beginning of September, so the Chateaux that decided to wait and harvest late made very good wines. The harvest dates at Montrose were 23 September to 6 October. Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, it erupts from the glass with a powerful perfume of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant pastilles, and kirsch, followed by hints of cast-iron pan, dried sage, and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is taut with muscular fruit and a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and lots of mineral sparks.

Medium garnet-brick in color, the 1995 Montrose swans out of the glass with maturing notes of cigar box, prunes, dried cherries, and boysenberry preserves, followed by hints of new leather, Sichuan pepper, and graphite. The elegantly styled, light-bodied palate is soft-textured and refreshing, with nuanced black and red berry preserves layers and a soft-spoken, savory finish.

The 1993 Montrose is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot. Almost 200 mm of rain fell in September this year, and harvest finished 5 October. Medium brick in color, it strolls out of the glass with surprisingly youthful scents of cassis, black cherry compote, and raspberry leaves, followed by suggestions of dusty soil, tobacco leaf, and powdered cinnamon with a waft of crushed rocks. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers a soft, silken texture and compelling tension to support the elegant dried berries and savory flavors, finishing long and minerally.

Deep brick in color, the 1990 Montrose erupts from the glass with a powerful nose of prunes, creme de cassis, and tar, followed by gentle wafts of crushed rocks, sweaty leather, iodine, truffles, and iron ore. The medium-bodied palate, plush, multi-layered, and elegantly styled, delivers compelling freshness and a long ferrous finish. The Montrose 1990 is infamous for bottle variation, with some bottles being badly affected by Brettanomyces. I've had severely Bretty bottles twice and once I had a pristine bottle, which was simply magic. This bottle, which came directly from the Château, had a mild dose of Brett, which didn't bother me and about half of the other tasters in the room, but there were some who detest Brett and didn't enjoy it. I tasted the 1990 again at the Château a few months later and the experience was similar. If you really don't like that sweaty saddles/iodine character instilled by Brett, this wine may not be your cup of tea. The blend for this year is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.

The 1989 Montrose, from a very warm, dry year, is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-brick in color (holding its color amazingly!) it sky-rockets from the glass with flamboyant notes of black cherry compote, blueberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, followed by notes of star anise, peonies, crushed rocks, and tar, plus exotic hints of cardamom and cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, opulent, and well structured, delivering firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous, wonderfully pure fruit, finishing long and earthy. This is textbook Montrose.

The 1970 Montrose is pale to medium tawny in color. Fragrant notes of Jasmine tea, dried cherries, and cranberries spill from the glass, leading to touches of rose oil, tobacco, and leather. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is lively and layered, featuring a whole firework display of mineral sparks with a powdery texture and perfumed finish.

The 1956 vintage was significantly cooler than average, and nearly 150 mm of rain fell in St Estephe in July. Pale to medium brick in color, the 1956 Montrose opens with a pronounced perfume of incense, cigar box, and iron ore, giving way to a core of dried cranberries, kirsch, and raisin cake with touches of rose oil, dried lavender, and Provence herbs. The light-bodied palate is wonderfully pure and bright, with a refreshing backbone and powdery tannins supporting the delicate red berry and perfumed layers, finishing long and minerally. The purity of fruit and floral notes here is truly remarkable!

This was a hot, dry, early vintage - harvest in Burgundy was reputed to start on 3 August! The summer in Bordeaux was particularly hot, with more than 1 month over 30 degrees Celsius, and the harvest began in in mid-August. The 1893 Montrose is pale brick in color with an amber rim. The nose hits the ground running, delivering powerful scents of iron ore, dried strawberries, red licorice, and cranberries, with wafts of dried roses, cigar box, new leather, camphor, and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate possesses an impressive amount of fruit with surprising viscosity contributed by the plush tannins, which have melted remarkably into the rich fruit. A refreshing backbone superbly defines the pure red berry, earth, and exotic spice notes in the mouth and carries them to a very long finish. I've had a lot of 19th-century bottles that were well-preserved and “interesting” to taste but none as delicious to drink as this - incredible! Wow. Just, wow.

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Montrose
Vintages	2016
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estephe
Bottle	75 cl

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Sugar	g/l

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