2016 Montrose, St-Estèphe (375ml)

“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.” (01/2026)

“Unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines of the vintage, the 2016 Château Montrose is a monument in the making. Checking in as a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new French oak (the balance was in once-used barrels) and representing a tiny 36% of the production, this deep purple-colored 2016 possesses powerful, incredibly classic Saint-Estephe notes of creme de cassis, graphite, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and burning embers. With a powerful, full-bodied style on the palate, a huge mid-palate, lots of underlying structure and tannic grip, and perfect balance, this magical wine will need upwards of a decade or cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.” (02/2019)

“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. (LPB)” (05/2025)

“One of the greatest wines in this vertical tasting, the 2016 Montrose unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis, wild berries, pencil shavings, violets and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and complete, it's velvety and seamless, with a layered core of vibrant fruit, sweet tannins and a long, resonant finish. At 13.3% alcohol, this unerringly precise, incipiently complex Montrose is the purist's choice. (WK) 99+” (12/2023)

“Now owned by the Bouygues family and managed by Hervé Berland, formerly at Mouton Rothschild, Montrose is one of the finest classed growths. Structured, long-living, this needs time to settle and open up but will be stunning. Pure dark currant and berry fruit, mineral and menthol notes, glossy oak and tannins and a lingering finish suggest this may be the finest Montrose since 1990. (AH)” (11/2021)

“The floral and fresh aromas to this are mesmerizing. Roses and lilacs galore. The pure cab aromas coming from the glass – blackcurrants and blackberries – are so memorable. Full-bodied, deep and profound. The ultra-fine tannins on the palate are so polished and fine-grained. The finish goes on for minutes with subtle yet superb fruit. It’s all about precision and form here. A modern classic for Montrose.” (01/2019)

“2016 Chateau Montrose is deep, dark with loads of black, dense cassis and rusty nails, followed by darkish, smoked fruit and notes of pepper and tannins. This is such a classic and old school example of Montrose with layer upon layer of granular, spicy and perfectly ripe fruit. It is however not ready yet and would benefit hugely from another 7-8 years of cellaring. (IB)” (01/2026)

“The 2016 Montrose has a more backward bouquet than its peers, but there is real complexity and nuance here: blackberry mixed with tobacco and light pencil shaving scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very supple and harmonious, caressing the mouth towards the classy finish so that you almost do not notice the depth and precision. Class. (NM)” (02/2026)

“While this wine's tannins are powerful. they are buried in a surprisingly soft texture of rich black fruits. With both structure and ripe blackberry flavors, the wine is already balanced. A juicy aftertaste lifts the tannins, pushing the wine into greatness. *Cellar Selection* (RV)” (05/2019)

“Very pure, with lilac, violet, cassis, bitter cherry and damson plum notes streaming through in lockstep right from the start. A fine chalky underpinning gives the finish a sleek and racy edge. A beautifully precise wine, with a lot in reserve, that could benefit from a little added weight in the cellar. (JM)” (03/2019)

“Very dark crimson. Tight and dense and dramatic and utterly convincing. With a little bit of richness. Fruit covers the tannin. Really very glorious. Dry finish. Reverberant. Salty. 18.5/20 points (JR)” (01/2020)