France

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Cabernet Franc

Petit Verdot

Ch. Montrose

Chateau Montrose 2eme Cru Classe Saint-Estephe

Bordeaux

Saint-Estephe

This is up there with the best wines that I have tasted in the vintage. Beautifully balanced, classically refined but profound, delivering nuanced waves of cassis, blackberry puree, peony, pomegrante, mandarin peel, graphite, smoked sandalwood, incense. There is exceptional softness yet density to the tannins, such a confident structure overall and the build up on the tannins through the palate is so slow and careful that it is only at the end of play that you become aware of just how big a vintage it is. Clear ageing potential, easy to love, very easy to recommend. 12% press wine. Vincent Decup technical director. 40% of production in the 1st wine.

Inside Bordeaux

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.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Beautifully deep colour, this shows chalk, violet flowers, peony, fragrant and enticing floral profile compared to so many in the vintage, this is excellent, cocoa bean, cassis, depth, layers and concentration - one of the wines of the vintage. 15% press wine, a little more than usual. Harvest 23 September to 8 October, Pierre Grafeuille estate director.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Montrose gallops out of the glass with intense scents of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and raspberries along with nuances of licorice, crushed rocks, and mossy tree bark plus a hint of iron ore. The medium-bodied palate has impressive tension and tight-knit black and red berry flavors intertwined with mineral accents, framed by fine-grained tannins, finishing long and sparkly. The first wine accounted for only 35% of the estate's production this year. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, with pH 3.70.

The 2022 Montrose is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to offer a gorgeous perfume of violets, star anise, wilted roses, cumin seed, and garrigue, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, boysenberry preserves, and kirsch. The full-bodied palate is a firework display of graceful, highly nuanced fruit, featuring mineral, floral, black fruit, and red berry sparks, supported by very firm, super-ripe tannins and incredible freshness, finishing very long, vibrant, and shimmery. The yield was 31 hl/ha and the First Wine represents 50% of the 2022 production. The quality of the press wine was high this year, and 13% was included in the blend. pH 3.78, TPI 85.

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.

4-6t på karaffel: 

Bjørnebær, mørke plommer, sigarboks, hint av vanilje, våt jord, jordbær, mørk sjokolade, kaffe, mocca, forskjellige type krydder. 

Dype, mørke bjørnebær, modne jordbær, bringebær, vanilje, tobakk, sigarboks. Ekstrem fylde i vinen, med en tilstedeværende syre. Konsentrasjonen er hinsides. Tanninene er tykke, men myke. Lagringspotensialet er enormt. Dessverre plukker jeg opp en god del alk.


Expert

Silky, young, clear spice notes, more so than in any other vintage in the lineup except for the 2003. Plenty of stuffing through the palate, with blueberry, cassis, hawthorn, tumeric, saffron but also caramel and black chocolate flavours. It's beautiful, well balanced, with intent and poise, and very clearly a wine that will go the distance. Having said that, it's the only wine in the lineup when I even think about the alcohol, suggesting there is a trace of heat, and certainly you feel the sunshine of the year in a way that you rarely do in Montrose - this takes it down for me from my initial En Primeur score. Harvest September 17 to October 5.

Ruby red. Dark and intense with vanilla, spice, blueberries, blackcurrant and minerals. Fresh acidity. Delicate and powerful. Crisp and refreshing. Cherry stones, blackcurrant, blueberries and some red currant. Balanced and very young. Powerful grippy, but polished tannins. Very long.

Drink from 2035-2070

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.

A wall of tannins on the opening beats makes it feel a little stricter at this point than the 2014, but as it opens you get a rollout of blueberry, raspberry, redcurrant and cassis fruits. There is charm here although it needs another few years to come out of itself, and remains knitted down right now. Serious potential that has deepened and gained complexity since its initial showing En Primeur; but it still shows that the 2015 vintage was less successful than 2016 in this particular appellation. The smallest selection for the grand vin for 15 years.

Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2014 Montrose scoots out of the glass with ready-to-go notes of kirsch, redcurrant jelly, and dried blackcurrants plus hints of iron ore, cloves, and nutmeg. The medium-bodied palate delivers a taut, muscular core of black fruit flavors, supported by firm, grainy tannins and a lively line, finishing long and opulent. Truly impressive—bravo!

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.

The 2012 Montrose is medium to deep garnet colored. It needs a little coaxing to draw out scents of baked plums, Christmas cake, and cassis with hints of dried herbs, cracked black pepper, and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate has taut, muscular black fruits with a firm, grainy texture and an earthy finish. It needs time!

Solbær, blåbær, pepper, nellik, aske, jernbanesviller, kanel og vanilje. Kompleks, dyp  og passe utviklet. Blomstret godt etter 2-3 timer. Drikker godt nå. Ettersmaken sitter veldig lenge.
93-94p

Ruby red. Exotic nose with spice, power, dark berries towards cassis, blueberries amd blackcurrant. Elegant. Fresh acidity. Vibrant and playful with dark fruit and berries. Quite dense. Blueberries, cherries and blackcurrant. Layered and velvety with a massiv structure of polished tannins. Very long.

Drink from 2030-2065

Cuts right to the heart of great St Estèphe, dark fleshy fruits, ambitious, just a touch of exuberance, but held back by bitter black chocolate, espresso, olive tapenade, eucalyptus, mint leaf, blackberry and damson fruits. Right up there showcasing what 2009 can offer Jean Bernard Delmas was director at the time, and he is bringing some First Growth magic. Can be opened now with a long carafe, but is built to last.

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.

Ruby red. Delicate nose with exotic spice, blackcurrant, cassis, leather and light tobacco. Fresh acidity. Blueberries, blackcurrant, leather and minerals. Structured. Long.

The 2007 vintage was wet and cold. Were it not for the warm September the whole vintage might have been lost. Some years ago I am guessing that several Châteaus would not even have made wine.

The 2007 Montrose is quite nice now, but no rush. Drink now or over the next 15 years or so?

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+.

This was the last vintage for the Charmolue family - Jean-Bernard Delmas oversaw the elevage of this wine. Deep garnet in color with a touch of brick at the rim, the 2005 Montrose is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. After a little shaking, the nose erupts with a fantastic perfume of blackcurrant pastilles, kirsch, raisin cake, and forest floor, leading to hints of aniseed, cracked black pepper, and unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate has a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing very long and minerally.

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!

This was an extreme vintage, with very little water and very hot. The 2003 Montrose is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it is a little closed to start off, soon unfurling to deliver evocative creme de cassis, blackberry preserves, and fruitcake scents, giving way to hints of tobacco leaf, new leather, dusty soil, and fennel seed. The medium-bodied palate is completely coated with black fruit and savory layers, supported by firm, chewy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing earthy.

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.

Ruby red. Spice, leather, tobacco, blackcurrant and minerals. Fresh acidity. Playful. Dark berries, leather and cedar wood. Balanced. Nice integrated tannins. Very long.

Drink from 2021-2050

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.

Fin nese på den jordlige siden, masse stall, og litt volatil. I munnen overraskende ren, åpen givende frukt mot sol- og blåbær. Ikke en svært intens vin, men rund og svært sjarmerende. Fine og markante tanniner som holder vinen sammen. Bedre i munnen enn på nesen. Etter 10 timer i åpen flaske er nesen fortsatt på samme spor, men nå med mer brett. I munnen flott konsentrert frukt. Bra lengde.

Sommelier

Rett fra flasken masse lær, litt krydder og modne bær som minner meg litt om de får i Château Musar. Fortsatt de klassiske kjennetegnene med jordlige toner og aske. I munnen samme som på nesen, hvor det er en del mer spice enn tidligere viner, fin syrlighet, modne lyse bær. Ikke et tanninmonster. Med luft kommer brett frem, men bare i en mengde som jeg mener gir økt kompleksitet. Fin fylde i anslag, dyp og mørk frukt mot sol- og skogsbær, flott syre. Bra lengde.

The nose is fruity with black currants. There is also cedar, tobacco and graphite. It is clean and incredibly elegant. The palate is intensely fruity and structured with fine-grained, ripe and elegant tannins. It is complex and beautifully balanced. The finish is very long and complex. This one is perfectly mature now. I have had 5 bottles of this over the last 10 years and this is by far the best. It paired also nicely with Cote de Boeuf from Jæren. 95 points.

Ganske lukket rett fra flasken, minner om 96 og 95 men med et lite mer grønt preg. I munnen fin frukt som er tettere og mørkere enn de to forrige, en mer balansert vin enn 96, 95 med fin syrlighet mot den mørke og sødmefulle frukten. Mangler litt kompleksitet. Masse blyantkvess, hylle- og skogsbær, hvit pepper, i munnen syrlige hyllebær.

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.

Nesen er floral mot det grønne, samt jordlig. Ingen mørk frukt eller dybde i denne nesen. I munnen røde syrlige bær, oppleves lett og litt vandig. Grei syre.

Nesen gir melkesjokolade og bjørnebær. Med luft litt aske og Sigar. I munnen litt volatil syre, fin fruktmodning som de øvrige 90. Bedre konsentrasjon en 92. Bra syre. Merker fortsatt at det ikke er topp fruktkvalitet eller konsentrasjon fra en god årgang.

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.

Mørk og rustikk nese med innslag av tobakk og hengt kjøtt. I munnen intens, fokusert, bra balanse med strålende syrlige og sødmefulle bær. Strukturert og deilig taningrep. Jeg synes vinen manglet litt friskhet.

Ruby red with an orange rim. Truffles, leather, spice, pencil shavings and sweet sour berries. Fresh acidity. Playful and elegant. Mature with red currant, spice, leather, figs, crowberries and minerals. Very long.

Bright ruby with a garnet rim. Leather, tobacco, cigar, figs and dates. Fresh acidity. Playful with tobacco, cigar case, some cassis, figs and minerals. Balanced with a nice structure. Very long

Drink from 2021-2035(+)

stor variasjon på duft over tid - fjøs gikk mot mørke florale toner og gammelt skap, solbær, rustikk - sursøt frukt, jordlig, kalkaktige tanniner - balansert - pen fruktdrevet finish - burde vært decantert lenge? (90+?)

Mye friskere frukt enn flaske 1 og hvor frukten går mot solbær. Noe brett, stall og høy. I munnen følger den rene frukten opp. Solbær. Topp syre og flotte tanniner, mineralsk, balansert.

Dag to, etter en natt i åpen flaske med ca 1 dl igjen i flasken, var denne vinen fortsatt svært flott, brett aromaene har roet seg ned, men det er fortsatt noe stall og lær på nesen. Syrlig kaffe og syrligere frukt mot nype. Balansert. Deilige tanniner som legger seg som et slør i munnen. Forsvarer poengsummen fra dagen før.

Perfekt flaske - sublim balanse - mørk, lær, solid grep kombinert med luftig eleganse, diskré stall, driv, sursøte mørke kirsebær, åttito sødme, kunne vært gift med Chez Colins bernaise (95)

ungdommelig nese, skogsbær, sutikk og jordlig, i munnen et strålende munngrep, ekstremt flott og intens syre som er helt gripende, fortsatt en flott og overraskende primær mørk frukt som holder balansen, medium + tanniner som er svært delikate selv om gripende. Strålende vin. Rustikk og kraftig.

På nesen kjeller og melkesjokolade. Litt uren nese hvor det også er noe støvete. Askebeger og gamle skinnsko, På smak mangler vinen frukt og fremstår litt inntørket, fin syre, men ubalansert.

På nesen gir vinen fløtekaramell og støvete kjeller. I munnen mangler det meste unntatt syre. Masse tanniner.

svak jordlig skogbunn - mørk frukt mot solbær/blåbær - sømløs - silketanniner - ren - medium syre - klassisk bdx (93+) Som skapt for morkler.

Elegant nese, mørk frukt, kaffe, slipte tanniner, strålende lengde

servert blindt. Støvete og litt off på nesen. Aske, hengt kjøtt, kaffe og mocca. I munnen syrlige røde bær, fin syre, mangler lengde og fruktkvalitet.

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!

servert blindt. Aske og hengt kjøtt, i munnen en fin middels konsentrasjon hvor frukten går mot gule frukter og hyllebær. Fin syre, men vinen er totalt sett ganske sliten.

Stor vin - rødfrukt - normal vin mot 1870 - saltaktig - murstein - lakris - perfekt balanse - støvete tanniner - meget lang 

veldig fin nese med Earl Gray te og nyper. Litt volatilitet i aromabilde, men ikke for mye. I munnen masse jern, fortsatt tilstedeværende frukt, blitt litt gammel, men frukten var virkelig bra. Ga den umiddelbart 91p, men er nok mer en 85er.

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.

En bemerkelsesverdig vin - viser ikke «normal» frukt - mer som en konsentrert te med snev av kirsebær, ørlite gammelt skap, balansert, null oksidasjon, usedvanlig lang med noe edeltre på finish - sært og utfordrende

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Montrose
Vintages	2020
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estephe
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	13.5 %
Acid	%
Sugar	< 3 g/l

Packaging	Glass
Cork type
Selection	Spesialutvalg
Wholesaler	LaMarc Wines AS
Carrier	Skanlog AS