1989 Montrose, St-Estèphe

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. (LPB)

Tasted out of magnum, the 1989 Château Montrose is a tour de force that certainly gives the 1990 a run for its money. Still youthfully purple/plum-hued, it has a classic Montrose nose of ripe currant and dark, almost blue fruits intermixed with saddle leather, tobacco, leafy, damp earth, and graphite. It's a concentrated, powerful Montrose that's full-bodied, has a deep, layered mid-palate, ripe yet still present tannins, and one hell of a great finish. Where the 1990 is broader, sexier, and more exuberant, this is more denser and focused, yet it's still a beast of a wine that brings awesome density, depth, and texture. It's clearly in its prime drinking window, blossoms with time in the glass, and has another 30-40 years of prime drinking, with a gradual decline thereafter. This is a Montrose that savvy readers should snatch up.