Results for: "Montrose"

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2023 Château Montrose sports a vivid purple hue as well as awesome aromatics of crème de cassis, fresh blackcurrants, graphite, crushed stone, tobacco, and violets. It's medium to full-bodied and has a concentrated, layered, seamless mouthfeel, flawless balance, fine polished tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak, it stays in the more aristocratic style of the vintage and is an utterly sensational, deep, multi-dimensional Montrose. It's one for the ages, yet I suspect it will be approachable within a reasonable time frame as well.

Aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, pencil shavings and tobacco. Medium- to full-bodied, this is creamy and crunchy with open, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. 71% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc.

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.

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.

A new benchmark for Montrose. Extremely aromatic and beautiful, with lavender, violets, pencil shavings and black currants on the nose. Complex and medium-bodied. The muscular structure and intensity are something else. The purity of fruit is dreamy. Marks a new era for Montrose. It is now made from only 45 hectares of vineyards right in front of the chateau instead of about 60 hectares before. From organically grown grapes. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot and 4% cabernet franc

Deep ruby colour, with stormingly attractive aromatics and welcoming opening beats of flowers and grilled spice. Mouthwatering from the off, lives up to its reputation, anis, fennel, graphite, crayon, cassis. Yes it could do with longer in the bottle and yes it's already delicious and you could start to enjoy today with a long carafe. Love this wine. Hervé Berland director, owned by the Bouygues family.

The 2019 Montrose is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with bold notes of stewed black plums, boysenberry preserves, blackcurrant jelly, and kirsch, plus touches of garrigue, lavender oil, and anise. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a lot of energy, with vibrant black fruits, firm, grainy tannins, and great tension, finishing very long and fragrant.

A timeless classic in the making, the 2025 Montrose unfurls in the glass with notes of dark berries, black truffle, burning embers and violets, gaining in range and detail with aeration. Full-bodied, dense and elegantly muscular, it's layered and multidimensional, with a prodigiously concentrated core of fruit, exceptional quality of tannin and a long, resonant finish. The 2025 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself. With a pH of 3.65 and 13.4% alcohol, it remains classically balanced despite its impressive power and intensity. Readers will have a fascinating time parsing the nuances of style and quality between the 2025, 2023 and 2022 over the decades to come! (WK)

Bid on this bottle of 1966 Montrose, St-Estèphe (93JG). John Gilman: "The 1966 Montrose is drinking beautifully at age forty-two, and is just a lovely example of this fine terroir. The bouquet is deep, complex and vibrant, as it jumps from the glass in an almost youthful blend of sweet blackberries, cassis, tobacco, intense gravelly tones and woodsmoke in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and very pure, with great focus, a rock solid core, bright acids, modest tannins and excellent length and grip on the soil-driven and classic finish. A lovely Montrose that gives the 1970 a firm run for its money." (05/2008)

A timeless classic in the making, the 2025 Montrose unfurls in the glass with notes of dark berries, black truffle, burning embers and violets, gaining in range and detail with aeration. Full-bodied, dense and elegantly muscular, it's layered and multidimensional, with a prodigiously concentrated core of fruit, exceptional quality of tannin and a long, resonant finish. The 2025 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself. With a pH of 3.65 and 13.4% alcohol, it remains classically balanced despite its impressive power and intensity. Readers will have a fascinating time parsing the nuances of style and quality between the 2025, 2023 and 2022 over the decades to come! (WK)

Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009. This will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Médoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth. (WK)

This is considered to be among the greatest vintages ever made in Montrose, right up with the 1929, 1945, 1947, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 and 2009. Harvest was October 15 to 17. The wine has really come on since I last tasted it, and it needs at least another 10 years of cellaring. The blend was 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine is opaque black/blue, with an incredible nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, with hints of incense, licorice, and acacia flowers. Tannins are incredibly sweet and very present. The wine is full-bodied, even massive, with great purity, depth and a finish that goes on close to a minute. This is a 50- to 75-year-old wine that will repay handsomely those with good aging genes. (RP)

The 2009 Château Montrose is just pure perfection, and it doesn't get any better. This magical Saint- Estèphe is still youthful yet offers incredible pleasure in its assorted black and red fruits as well as notes of smoked tobacco, licorice, graphite, and scorched earth. A wine that has always been open and satisfying since release, it's still full-bodied and has a broad, expansive, velvety mouthfeel, gorgeous and still present tannins, and a great, great finish. It's a richer, more expansive wine compared to the more focused, classic 2010. Unquestionably one of the finest wines in the vintage, as well as one of the legendary wines from this address, it should evolve for another 40-50 years, although don't let that stop you from opening a bottle!

Blueberries, currants and Indian spices on the nose follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a lovely finish. It's intense and refined. A beauty. It goes on for minutes. Speechless. Better and cleaner than the great 1990. Try in 2022.

Bid on this 3-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of 2005 Ferrand Lartigue, St-Emilion (90RP), 1-bottle of 2009 de Sales, Pomerol ((87-90ST)), and 1-bottle of 2009 La Dame de Montrose, St-Estèphe (94JS, 91RP, 90WS). Of the 2009 La Dame de Montrose, St-Estèphe, James Suckling writes: "Deep aromas of blueberries, spices, fresh chanterelles, and grapes , follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a spicy finish. Intense and structured. Second wine of Montrose. Try after 2018." (02/2012)

An average of seven years old, Manoir de Montreuil Réserve includes some brandies up to 20 years old in the blend. Light golden in color, the nose is full of baking spices, which carries through the palate, along with honey, vanilla, and apple strudel. The overall flavor is subtle, with a note of chalky minerality on the finish. Like the Sélection, this is very drinkable, but the younger expression has a bit more liveliness and verve. Still a good value. (JW)

More proof that younger Calvados have a purity and depth missing from many unaged spirts. Three years old, and greenish-yellow in color, this brandy has a gregarious nose, with aromas of apple pie and even pineapple turnover. But on the palate, there is both juicy acidity and an overarching roundness, still at the relatively high alcohol level. Fresh, dry, truly drinkable, both neat and in cocktails. A great value. (AOC Pays d’Auge, 44% abv.) - JW

Bid on this bottle of 1990 Altesino "Montosoli" Brunello di Montalcino (95WS). Wine Spectator: "Offering an effusive bouquet of truffle, plum and black cherry, this is even fresher than the La Casa '90. This still has time to give, with fine tannins and a long, fruit- and spice-flecked aftertaste. *Wine Spectator Top 100 of 1995* (BS)" (04/2022)

The 2024 Baricci Rosso di Montalcino is a vibrant and quintessential expression of the Montosoli hill, a north-side "grand cru" known for producing wines of remarkable elegance and mineral depth. On the nose, it offers an expressive and high-toned bouquet of red cherries, raspberries, and orange zest, underscored by delicate floral notes of violet and rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied and exceptionally balanced, featuring a juicy red fruit core supported by a savory, salty minerality and a persistent acidity that provides tension and energy. It finishes long and clean, marked by fine-grained tannins and a lingering echo of Mediterranean herbs and crushed stones. This is a classic "grower" Rosso that prioritizes finesse and terroir transparency, showcasing the unique microclimate of the Montosoli slope.

The 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli captures the identity of this site with clarity and tension. The nose is lifted and pure with wild strawberries, red cherries, mint, thyme, roses, graphite, and tea leaf. Medium-bodied, it has tightly coiled tannins and brisk acidity, finishing with bright orange peel, mineral drive, and mouthwatering salinity. I found across my tastings that 2021 was an exceptional year, especially with regard to Montosoli, offering fabulous transparency of site, and this is a benchmark example for readers to snatch up. It’s going to require some patience, but it will have a lot of aging potential over the next 20 years. (AF) 98+