Results for: "Montrose"

95 points James Suckling: "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." (11/2024) 94 points Vinous: "The 2022 La Dame de Montrose is fabulous. It marries the power of the vintage with notable tension and freshness to balance things out. Dark cherry, mocha, crushed rocks, graphite and leather soar out of the glass. A truly magnificent wine, La Dame is a mini-Montrose in every way. Readers looking for a wine that punches well above its weight and price will find it all here. Don't miss it! (AG)" (02/2025) 93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2022 La Dame De Montrose is based on 71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It's a beautifully textured, medium-bodied Saint-Estèphe with red and black fruits, some spicy, flowery nuances, nicely integrated oak, and a great finish. This charming, textured, elegant, supple second wine will keep for two decades." (02/2025) 93 points Wine Advocate: "One of the smart purchases this year is the 2022 La Dame de Montrose, a second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths. Based on 71% Merlot, the Dame sees a more reductive élevage than the grand vin, which is perfectly adapted to this variety. Opening to reveal aromas of sweet cassis, cherries and berries mingled with hints of violets, spices and orange zest, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with a powerful but controlled profile. (WK)" (03/2025)

The first time we have carried this wine-the third wine of the fabulous Chateau Montrose property. We tasted this wine a year and half ago, and it finally arrived. Very perfumed aromas of roses and blackberries-Fresh and fruity and lively wine. Delicious now with a juicy hamburger. We love the 2016 vintage from Bordeaux, and this wine fits the bill as a great value. Just a step behind the Dame de Montrose.

99 points, Georgia Hindle for Decanter: " A generous and abundant nose full of fruit and aromatic intensity followed by a gorgeous mouthfeel showcasing fruit density and concentration wrapped up in soft, velvety-smooth tannins. Just so much depth but also refinement here, it feels well made with just the right amount of fruit, toasty spice, tannins, freshness and acidity. The overall structure is gently framing all the elements - big and bold but quietly confident. The tannin impact is also enjoyable giving a feeling of approachability despite the long life ahead. Just superb - one of the best in 2019. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 12% press wine. 60% new oak." (1/2022) 98 points, Neal Martin for Vinous: "The 2019 Montrose has a razor-sharp bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit, touches of pencil box and cedar. Understated at first, it unfurls temptingly with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, fine acidity, blood orange infusing the black fruit with pencil lead towards the finish that fans out with style. There is a sense of grandeur to this wine that is compelling. Montrose? Stunning. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting." (1/2023)

100 points Robert Parker - Wine Advocate: "Harvested between September 17 and October 5, this wine seems always open for business, so to speak, much like the great 1982s. The summer of 2009 was very hot and dry, which got the harvest off to a reasonably early start. The blend was 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Jean Bernard Delmas’ goal was to find perfect equilibrium between freshness and concentration, given its incredible opulence and the voluptuous character this vintage offered. That’s what this wine has in abundance. With an astounding dense purple color, the wine has velvety, sweet tannins, and an extremely open-knit and opulent blueberry, blackberry and creme de cassis nose. There is scorched earth, vanilla and, again, telltale licorice and spice. It is unctuously textured - thicker and juicier than the 2010 and more forward. This wine should come into its own in another five years. And again, it has at least 50+ years of aging potential." (08/2014)

100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "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." (03/2026) 100 points James Suckling: "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" (12/2025) 97-100 points Wine Advocate: "The 2023 Montrose is another brilliant wine from an estate that's now routinely among Bordeaux's very best, year in, year out. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself, it unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and wild berries mingled with notions of lilac, violet and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a dense, multidimensional mid-palate framed by beautifully ripe tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. It will be worth a special effort to seek out. (WK)" (04/2024) 97-99 points The Wine Independent: "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. (LPB)" (05/2024) 98 points Decanter: "So floral and aromatic, really inviting and welcoming on the nose, more aromatic than some. Smooth and intense, clearly concentrated but supple and bouncy, there’s movement to this, it’s not strict. So precise, and finessed, you can feel the edges of the fine tannins - well executed with a mineral grip underneath. You can tell there’s power here, it has muscles but sinew also. Quite demonstrative really - it’s flexing but keeps such a clear line of focus and cool blue fruit with graphite and liquorice too. Round and penetrating with an excellent weight and balance of acidity in the mouth while keeping harmony alongside a hint of sweet and just-ripe strawberries mostly with crunchy cranberry too. A lot to like here. Great effort, classy and comfortable - multi-faceted while still being so juicy and approachable. 60% new oak, ageing in barrels only for 18 months. 3.7pH. 13.6% press wine (300 barrels of press split into seven qualities). 35% grand vin in total, mainly from the old vines which is 45% of the vineyard but 35% of the crop. 48hl/ha yield. (GH)" (04/2024) 98 points Jane Anson: "Gorgeously dark and vibrant fruit, with gunsmoke and campfire, concentrated cassis and blackberry pastille, grilled almond, saffron and pomegranate, 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 1s

100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "One of the greats in the vintage, the 2022 Château Montrose is deep ruby/purple-hued and has a massive perfume of sweet crème de cassis, sappy tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. With incredible purity and precision in its aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, powerful, yet still somehow elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Based on a classic blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. As I wrote during En Primeur, it has the essence of a Montrose-like character. While it’s not a massively backward or austere example of the château, it nevertheless deserves 10-12 years of bottle age and should have at least half a century of longevity. It is, without a doubt, in the same league as the 1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020." (02/2025) 100 points Wine Advocate: "From barrel, I wrote that 2022 Montrose was so compelling that assigning it a bracketed score seemed a mere formality, and so it has proven. Unwinding in the glass with a deep and brooding bouquet of cassis, wild blueberries, violets, pencil shavings and burning embers, it's full-bodied, deep and dense, somehow marrying all the tannic authority that has long been such a signature of Montrose with a suavity and purity that represents the quintessence of contemporary Bordeaux. The broad, palate-staining finish lasts for more than a minute. This is a profound young wine that readers aren't going to want to miss. (WK)" (03/2025) 100 points Vinous: "The 2022 Montrose is insanely beautiful. That much is obvious. When it might be ready to drink is another question. In recent years, Montrose has acquired notable finesse in its tannins, so that is not an issue. But the 2022 is packed with tremendous density and concentration that will need time to soften. Blackberry, graphite, licorice, lavender and chocolate stain the palate in a stunning, riveting wine of the very highest level. I can only hope to be around when the 2022 starts to drink well! Montrose is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Unforgettable. (AG)" (01/2025) 99 points Decanter: "A deep heady nose filled with fragrant black fruit, liquorice, tobacco and violets. Sumptuous and seductive, this walks the fine line between presenting the vintage with a heady, charged palate full of sun-kissed fruit and lashings of liquorice spice with pristine cherries and blackcurrants and a vein of salty, crushed stone and iron minerality. Gorgeous acidity keeps the profile lifted and almost airy before the density of the aromatics and flavours comes into play. So well constructed, this has muscles and serious power but within a sleek frame and a delicate chalky touch on the finish." (01/2025) 99 points James Suckling: "Great depth in the nose, taking you into its core of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, graphite, tar, inkpot and cassis. Full-bodied and very tight, this flexes its polished muscles, showing form and tension. Compacted. From organically grown grapes. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. This needs six to seven years to come around." (02/2025) 98 points Jane Anson: "There may have been concessions to the vintage with La Dame de Montrose, but there is no compromise here, and no signs of over-maturity in the character of the fruit. Inky, rich, confidently powerful structure coupled with softness to the tannins, dark peppercorn, iodine, espresso, graphite and wet stones, muscular but luscious. Hervé Berland's last vintage, with Pierre Graffeuille arriving to take over as estate director, technical director Vincent Decup. 40% 1st wine. A single point upscore from En Primeur." (12/2024) 98 points The Wine Independent: "This accounts for 53% of production in this vintage, a high figure for Montrose, which reflects the high quality of the vintage – similar volumes were made i

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Made from a strict selection of only the best terroirs (terrace 4) around the estate and the oldest vines, the 2023 Château Montrose is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine than normal and is based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will see 18 months in 60% new French oak. The result is a more plush, deep, opulent wine that has classic Montrose darker, almost blue fruits, violets, chocolate, and damp earth-like aromas and flavors. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and expansive on the palate, it has more richness, breadth, and concentration than just about every other wine in the vintage. The 2023 hit 13.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7. It has some similarities to the 2010 (or 2016?) and might end up being the wine of the vintage." (05/2024) 100 points James Suckling: " 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" (04/2024) 97-100 points Wine Advocate: "The 2023 Montrose is another brilliant wine from an estate that's now routinely among Bordeaux's very best, year in, year out. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself, it unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and wild berries mingled with notions of lilac, violet and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a dense, multidimensional mid-palate framed by beautifully ripe tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. It will be worth a special effort to seek out. (WK)" (04/2024) 97-99 points The Wine Independent: "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. (LPB)" (05/2024) 96-98 points Vinous: "The 2023 Montrose is focused on the original terroir of the estate, known as Terrace 4, located in front of the river. It comprises 45 hectares, around 12 to 15 hectares less than previous vintages so as to capture the expression of Montrose classified in 1855. Picked from September 5 to 28 and matured in 60% new oak, this has a very intense and focused bouquet: pure black fruit with just a touch of strawberry, hints of violet petals developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins—very pure, with pitch-perfect acidity. This gains depth toward the finish but maintains a sense of linearity that ensures it is one of the vintage’s finest contributions from the Left Bank. Magnificent. (NM)" (04/2024) 98 points Decanter: "So floral and aromatic, really inviting and welcoming on the nose, more aromatic than some. Smooth and intense, clearly concentrated but supple and bouncy, there’s movement to this, it’s not strict. So precise, and finessed, you can feel the edges of the fine tannins - well executed with a mineral grip underneath. You can tell there’s power here, it has muscles but sinew also. Quite demonstrative really - it’s flexing but keeps such a clear line of focus and cool blue fruit with graphite and liquorice too. Round and penetrating with an excellent weight and balance of acidity in the mouth while keeping harmony alongside a hint of sweet and

The 2019 Baricci "Nello" Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a profound and laser-focused expression of the Montosoli hill, produced only in top vintages as a tribute to the estate's founder. On the nose, it is sleek and multifaceted, offering intense aromas of black cherry, blackberry, and dark plums interwoven with sophisticated notes of cedar, leather, and camphor. The palate is exceptionally refined and structured, balancing a dense fruit core with a vibrant, salty minerality and a penetrating acidity that drives the wine forward like a laser. It finishes with immense length and youthful tension, marked by firm but polished "al dente" tannins and lingering nuances of black pepper, tar, and balsamic spices. This is a monumental Riserva from a legendary vintage, designed for significant aging and showcasing a stunning fusion of power and grace.

98 points, Antonio Galloni for Vinous: "The 2016 Montrose is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel, maybe more. Tightly wound and vertical, with remarkable intensity, the 2016 is simply magnificent. The tannins are there, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. All the elements are impeccably balanced in a wine of pedigree, depth and character. The 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its best, but it is clearly a very special wine in the making. In a word: dazzling." (12/2018)

98 points Jeb Dunnuck: "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+ " (02/2026) 98 points Kerin O'Keefe: "The Canalicchio di Sopra 2021 Brunello Vigna Montosoli is absolutely gorgeous, starting with its beautiful aromas of violet, lavender, Mediterranean scrub, perfumed berry and sandalwood. Elegantly structured and showing great intensity, the savory palate delivers succulent Marasca cherry, wild raspberry, licorice and blood orange underpinned by mint and saline minerality. Tightly woven, velvety tannins and fresh acidity keep it impeccably balanced. (KO)" (11/2025) 98 points Vinous: "The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is impossible to ignore. It opens with a distinctly savory bouquet of ashen stones, rosemary, dusty violets and crushed blackberries. Elegant in style, it floods the palate with polished red berry fruits, violet tones and silken textures. The 2021 tapers off harmoniously with excellent length, leaving edgy tannins to pinch the cheeks as nuances of sour cherry fade. This is an understated yet deeply complex beauty, and easily one of the wines of the vintage. (EG)" (11/2025) 96 points James Suckling: "A deep and lightly savory nose with good harmony and a hint of dried fruit. The result is a wine that shows richness, generous fruit and fine, dusty tannins. Full-bodied for a Brunello, with very juicy fruit and a long, linear, structured finish. Better in two to three years. " (12/2025)

The Giard family has been producing Calvados in the Pays d'Auge for 11 generations. The Domaine du Montreuil orchard was planted on land formerly covered by the sea, and it exhibits a distinctive apple flavor. This Calvados offers a robust fruity nose, with woody undertones. Zesty qualities and apple blossom honey notes round out the palate and lead to a lively finish.

Created by Felix Monterossa and Adriana Correa, the Agua Del Sol brand was developed for their well loved mezcaleria in Oaxaca city, CUISH. Both come from families steep in tradition and are multigenerational growers and producers of mezcal. Their espadin is a classical Oaxacan style from the incredible Monterossa family, who produces this traditional artesenal high quality espadin for an absolutely astounding price. The fact that it's uncertified shouldn't deter even the most staunch pro-certification proponent, as this is proper mezcal from the heart of the central valley of Oaxaca. Using earthen ovens, horse-drawn tahona, wild yeast, cypress vats and small copper pots, the not so smokey style is the sign of time taken from start to finish. The secret sauce to many great bar programs throughout Los Angeles, this gorgeous espadin is always bottled between 48-49%.

Baricci’s Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino 2020 is a benchmark expression of this revered cru, showcasing elegance, depth, and precision. The nose is layered and complex, revealing bright red cherry, wild berries, and dried rose, intertwined with notes of sweet spice, tobacco, and crushed stone. The palate is vibrant yet structured, offering juicy red fruit, firm yet refined tannins, and a distinct mineral core, all balanced by lively acidity. A long, polished finish lingers with nuances of balsamic, cedar, and Mediterranean herbs.

99 points James Suckling: "The ripeness of fruit is a hallmark for this top vineyard of Montosoli. It shows aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, lavender and roses. Medium- to full-bodied with a chewy and tight tannin structure and a long, intense and muscular finish. One of the wines of the vintage. The tannin backbone necessitates aging. Give it three or four years of bottle age. Try after 2029. (JS)" (12/2025) 98 points Vinous: "The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli has a gorgeous bouquet, with sweet smoke and stone dust giving way to crushed woodland berries, rubbed sage, exotic spice and a lifting hint of fresh pine. It’s youthfully dense but seamless and smooth, with polished red fruits and a contrasting tinge of sour citrus. Florals define the finish, alongside fine tannins and echoes of sour cherry. A minute later, slate-inflected mineral tones resonate. This is one of the most complete 2021s I’ve tasted—Valdicava has achieved a striking new level of purity. (EG)" (11/2025) 97 points Wine Spectator: "Mint, mineral, kirsch, black currant, blackberry, violet and underbrush flavors are the highlights of this complex, intense red. Fresh and even racy, with bracing acidity focusing the tightly wound flavors. All of the components are there; this just needs time. Best from 2030 through 2050. 900 cases made, 200 cases imported. (BS)" (03/2026)

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.

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Made from a strict selection of only the best terroirs (terrace 4) around the estate and the oldest vines, the 2023 Château Montrose is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine than normal and is based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will see 18 months in 60% new French oak. The result is a more plush, deep, opulent wine that has classic Montrose darker, almost blue fruits, violets, chocolate, and damp earth-like aromas and flavors. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and expansive on the palate, it has more richness, breadth, and concentration than just about every other wine in the vintage. The 2023 hit 13.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7. It has some similarities to the 2010 (or 2016?) and might end up being the wine of the vintage." (05/2024) 100 points James Suckling: " 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" (04/2024) 97-100 points Wine Advocate: "The 2023 Montrose is another brilliant wine from an estate that's now routinely among Bordeaux's very best, year in, year out. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself, it unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and wild berries mingled with notions of lilac, violet and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a dense, multidimensional mid-palate framed by beautifully ripe tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. It will be worth a special effort to seek out. (WK)" (04/2024) 97-99 points The Wine Independent: "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. (LPB)" (05/2024) 96-98 points Vinous: "The 2023 Montrose is focused on the original terroir of the estate, known as Terrace 4, located in front of the river. It comprises 45 hectares, around 12 to 15 hectares less than previous vintages so as to capture the expression of Montrose classified in 1855. Picked from September 5 to 28 and matured in 60% new oak, this has a very intense and focused bouquet: pure black fruit with just a touch of strawberry, hints of violet petals developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins—very pure, with pitch-perfect acidity. This gains depth toward the finish but maintains a sense of linearity that ensures it is one of the vintage’s finest contributions from the Left Bank. Magnificent. (NM)" (04/2024) 98 points Decanter: "So floral and aromatic, really inviting and welcoming on the nose, more aromatic than some. Smooth and intense, clearly concentrated but supple and bouncy, there’s movement to this, it’s not strict. So precise, and finessed, you can feel the edges of the fine tannins - well executed with a mineral grip underneath. You can tell there’s power here, it has muscles but sinew also. Quite demonstrative really - it’s flexing but keeps such a clear line of focus and cool blue fruit with graphite and liquorice too. Round and penetrating with an excellent weight and balance of acidity in the mouth while keeping harmony alongside a hint of sweet and

94-95 points James Suckling: "The blackberries and blackcurrants show through beautifully, together with very integrated tannins. Dense and textured. Transparent. Graphite coming through. Second wine of Montrose." (04/2024) 92-94 points Vinous: "The 2023 La Dame de Montrose is a rich, heady wine. Succulent dark cherry, plum, new leather, spice, menthol, licorice and mocha are beautifully amplified. Explosive to the core, the 2023 possesses tons of aromatic intensity and pure volume. This showy, Merlot-based Dame is quite alluring. (AG)" (04/2024) 91-93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The second wine of the estate is the 2023 La Dame De Montrose, which checks in as 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in mostly used barrels. It's a ripe, forward second wine offering ripe red and blue fruits, tons of floral and spicy nuances, medium to full body, and a round, supple, elegant mouthfeel. This ripe, layered, seamless beauty will drink nicely for 10-12 years or more." (05/2024)

100 points Jane Anson: "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." (10/2022) 100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "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." (12/2019) 100 points The Wine Independent: "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)" (09/2023) 99 points Wine Advocate: "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) 98 points Decanter: "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) 98 points James Suckling: "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." (02/2019) 97 points Vinous: "The 2016 Montrose is a supremely gifted Saint-Estèphe. Very harmonious and precise on the nose, faint hints of mocha and freshly rolled tobacco are behind those floral scents, black rather than red fruit. The palate has very fine tannins, extraordinarily harmonious with a nigh-perfect line of acidity. There is a subtle crescendo that leaves you utterly smitten by its charms, a touch of graphite on the finish. I just have the feeling that this might close up for a while. (NM)" (02/2024) 96 points Wine Spectator: "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 sle

Bid on this 6-half-bottle lot of 2016 Montrose, St-Estèphe (375ml) (100JA, 100JD, 100TWI, 99RP, 98DC, 98JS, 97VN, 97WE, 96WS). Jeb Dunnuck: 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)

95 points Chris Kissack: "This is the final blend as presented at the primeurs, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 52% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, and it took 42% of the crop. The élevage was 12 months in oak, with the traditional system of one-third each new, second-fill and third-fill barrels. The nose is striking, somewhat reminiscent of the 2010 vintage, with very dark and savoury fruits, salted olives and currants especially, along with a notable saline and gravelly lift here. It is immediately more imposing and broader on the palate than Tronquoy-Lalande tasted alongside, leading with a wealth of savoury black fruits, black beans and black olives, with a peppery substance, and this comes across on the palate, all wrapped up in a ribbon of savoury and salty notes. It is cool and yet also textured, with dark saline fruits. The tannins take a backseat, but they feel tightly knit and integrated, wrapped around the acidity and the fruit, which has an almost bouillon -like intensity of flavour. It is long, stony and peppery in the finish. An excellent second wine which will age well." (12/2018) 93 points Jane Anson: "Great depths of fruit, this is dominant Merlot in the blend but the character of the vintage is all about blackberry, cassis, graphite, tannins and firm, well defined tannins, and they dominate the palate - confident but already welcoming, this is a great 2nd wine, one of the standout successes of an exceptional year. The Petit Verdot went entirely into the Dame de Montrose in this vintage." (06/2022) 93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2016 Dame de Montrose is also gorgeous, and the second wines of Bordeaux continue to gain in quality. A blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 30% new oak, this beauty has impressive amounts of creme de cassis, graphite, violets, and damp earth that give way to a medium to full-bodied, layered, pure, and seamless beauty that has real class. It’s well worth seeking out and will hopefully help you to keep your hands off the grand vin for at least a few years." (02/2019) 93 points James Suckling: "Extremely perfumed and beautiful with bright, violet and plum aromas. Full to medium body, very fine and firm tannins and transparent fruit. Linear and refined with a very long finish. Second wine of Château Montrose. " (02/2019) 93 points The Wine Independent: "With 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 52% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 La Dame de Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes galloping out of the glass with powerful notes of baked black cherries, blackberry preserves, and warm cassis, plus suggestions of wood smoke, underbrush, and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with the black fruit and earthy layers well-framed by ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and minerally. (LPB)" (12/2022) 93 points Vinous: "A gorgeous second wine, the 2016 La Dame de Montrose is incredibly expressive today. Supple, radiant and inviting, La Dame has all the potential to be an overachiever in this vintage. Today, it is quite open, and, even more importantly, flat-out delicious. In some moments, La Dame is rather nuanced, while at other times it is a bit more potent. It will be interesting to see what aging in bottle brings, but one thing is certain; the 2016 La Dame is a stellar wine. Don't miss it. (AG)" (01/2019) 92 points Wine Enthusiast: "Tannins are very present in this dense wine. But so are vibrant, crisp black-currant flavors and acidity. The combination of tannins and fresh acidity will drive this second wine of Château Montrose forward. (RV)" (05/2019) 92 points Wine Advocate: "The finest vintage of Montrose's second wine in this vertical was the 2016 La Dame de Montrose, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine that's velvety and pure, with a beautifully balanced profile and an inviting bouquet of dark ber

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2014 Montrose, St-Estèphe (98TWI, 97CK, 97DC, 97JA, 97JS, 97VN, 97WE, 96RP, 95JD, 95WS). The Wine Independent: "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! (LPB)" (03/2024)

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A magical, utterly profound wine in the making, the 2025 Château Montrose is a classic blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in 60% new French oak, with 12% press wine included in the final blend. Pure cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and spicy wood define the aromatics, and it's sensationally pure on the palate, with full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, ripe, polished tannins, incredible class, and a great finish. It reminds me of the 2016 with its finesse... and maybe there's a touch of 1996 here as well." (05/2026) 98-100 points Wine Advocate: "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)" (04/2026) 98-100 points Vinous: "The 2025 Montrose only comes from the Terrace IV, as has been the way since the 2023 vintage. It was picked from August 29 and finished not until September 20, so quite a long harvest, 16 days of picking between those dates. This vintage is matured in 60% new oak. This has another very intense nose with a potent graphite element that infuses the black fruit, beautifully defined but unapologetically classical in style. Wow. The purity of fruit is exceptional. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, very chiselled tannins, exquisite black fruit loaded with minéralité. So much freshness and vibrancy, gentle but insistent grip, very precise and refined on the finish, this is a Montrose that will rank as one for the ages. Wow (again). (NM)" (05/2026) 97-99 points The Wine Palate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Montrose erupts from the glass with intense notes of freshly crushed black currants, fresh blackberries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of crushed rocks, black olives, violets, and forest floor with a touch of garrigue. The delicately styled, medium-bodied palate has a firm, fine-grained texture with a refreshing line and taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It has a pH of 3.65 and the alcohol is 13.4%. It is aging for 18 months in oak barriques, 60% new. (LPB)" (04/2026) 97 points Decanter: "Vibrant purple colour in the glass. Amazing fragrance, so pure and crystalline – blackcurrants and violet notes. Silky and glossy, packed full of cherry and strawberry fruit with quite massy tannins but keeping a really cool and compact form. Structured with layers of elements but also a little granular, tight and spiced. Liquorice, cool cola and wet stone edges. Maybe less overtly charming and filling than in previous years, but this has a distinctly cool mineral edge and slightly grippy tannins on the finish. I like the style, it’s quite serious and terroir transparent. Ageing should soften this and relax a little. 3.65pH. 80 IPT. 12% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 60% new oak. (GH)" (03/2026) 97 points Jane Anson: "Deep and nuanced plum fruit on the opening, vivid ruby in colour with tension, lift and estate signature. An extremely classic Montrose, love the lift with the depth of cassis, cocoa bean, liquorice, crushed mint leaf, squid ink, crayon, a supremely Left Bank wine, very much in the 2023 vein for me, which was a vintage I adored

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A magical, utterly profound wine in the making, the 2025 Château Montrose is a classic blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in 60% new French oak, with 12% press wine included in the final blend. Pure cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and spicy wood define the aromatics, and it's sensationally pure on the palate, with full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, ripe, polished tannins, incredible class, and a great finish. It reminds me of the 2016 with its finesse... and maybe there's a touch of 1996 here as well." (05/2026) 98-100 points Wine Advocate: "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)" (04/2026) 98-100 points Vinous: "The 2025 Montrose only comes from the Terrace IV, as has been the way since the 2023 vintage. It was picked from August 29 and finished not until September 20, so quite a long harvest, 16 days of picking between those dates. This vintage is matured in 60% new oak. This has another very intense nose with a potent graphite element that infuses the black fruit, beautifully defined but unapologetically classical in style. Wow. The purity of fruit is exceptional. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, very chiselled tannins, exquisite black fruit loaded with minéralité. So much freshness and vibrancy, gentle but insistent grip, very precise and refined on the finish, this is a Montrose that will rank as one for the ages. Wow (again). (NM)" (05/2026) 97-99 points The Wine Palate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Montrose erupts from the glass with intense notes of freshly crushed black currants, fresh blackberries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of crushed rocks, black olives, violets, and forest floor with a touch of garrigue. The delicately styled, medium-bodied palate has a firm, fine-grained texture with a refreshing line and taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It has a pH of 3.65 and the alcohol is 13.4%. It is aging for 18 months in oak barriques, 60% new. (LPB)" (04/2026) 97 points Decanter: "Vibrant purple colour in the glass. Amazing fragrance, so pure and crystalline – blackcurrants and violet notes. Silky and glossy, packed full of cherry and strawberry fruit with quite massy tannins but keeping a really cool and compact form. Structured with layers of elements but also a little granular, tight and spiced. Liquorice, cool cola and wet stone edges. Maybe less overtly charming and filling than in previous years, but this has a distinctly cool mineral edge and slightly grippy tannins on the finish. I like the style, it’s quite serious and terroir transparent. Ageing should soften this and relax a little. 3.65pH. 80 IPT. 12% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 60% new oak. (GH)" (03/2026) 97 points Jane Anson: "Deep and nuanced plum fruit on the opening, vivid ruby in colour with tension, lift and estate signature. An extremely classic Montrose, love the lift with the depth of cassis, cocoa bean, liquorice, crushed mint leaf, squid ink, crayon, a supremely Left Bank wine, very much in the 2023 vein for me, which was a vintage I adored

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2009 Montrose, St-Estèphe (100JD, 100RP, 100TWI, 99JA, 98JS, 98VN, 97ST, 97WS, 96DC, 96WE). Wine Advocate: "Harvested between September 17 and October 5, this wine seems always open for business, so to speak, much like the great 1982s. The summer of 2009 was very hot and dry, which got the harvest off to a reasonably early start. The blend was 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Jean Bernard Delmas’ goal was to find perfect equilibrium between freshness and concentration, given its incredible opulence and the voluptuous character this vintage offered. That’s what this wine has in abundance. With an astounding dense purple color, the wine has velvety, sweet tannins, and an extremely open-knit and opulent blueberry, blackberry and creme de cassis nose. There is scorched earth, vanilla and, again, telltale licorice and spice. It is unctuously textured – thicker and juicier than the 2010 and more forward. (RP)" (08/2014)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2016 Montrose, St-Estèphe (100JA, 100JD, 100TWI, 99RP, 98DC, 98JS, 97VN, 96WS). Jeb Dunnuck: "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." (12/2019)

96 points Neal Martin in Vinous: "The 2018 Montrose delivers on the promise that it showed from barrel. I gave this a three-hour decant before broaching, since Montrose is always backward, albeit far less ferociously than even just a decade ago. It offers copious blackberry and blueberry scents on the nose, plus pressed violets and a light estuarine scent that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky-smooth texture. Finely chiseled tannins frame multilayered black fruit infused with crushed stone, and it has retained that subtle graphite element that lends it a Pauillac-like personality, though less so than out of barrel. This is a beautifully defined Montrose with entrancing symmetry, and it should drink earlier than other recent vintages thanks to a little more pliancy." (3/2021)

93-95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A Merlot-heavy blend of 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, mostly from clay and limestone soils and resting in 30% new oak with 20% foudre, the 2025 La Dame De Montrose is medium-bodied, round, and supple, with a beautiful sense of elegance. Ripe framboise, juicy currants, violets, and sappy flower nuances all shine on the nose, and it's almost impossible to resist today, with remarkable purity and gorgeous tannins." (05/2026) 93-94 points James Suckling: "A brightness and freshness, with red currants and oyster shells. Medium body, with fine tannins and a crunchy, crisp finish. A blend of 82% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc." (04/2026) 92-94 points The Wine Palate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 La Dame de Montrose skips out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of wild blueberries, red cherries, and black raspberries, plus hints of tar, roses, and dried mint. The medium-bodied palate is silky and elegant with bright, intense blue and red berry flavors and floral accents, lifted by a crisp line, finishing long and fragrant. Beautiful! The blend is 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. The alcohol is 13.7% with a pH of 3.5. It is aging in oak barrels, large and small, with 15% being new oak. (LPB)" (04/2026) 91-93 points Vinous: "The 2025 La Dame de Montrose is an elegant, gracious wine. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, cinnamon and pomegranate lend tons of aromatic presence. The fruit is so bright, focused and forward. This is an especially elegant, refined Dame. The blend is Merlot-driven. Élevage is 75% in French oak barrels (15% new), 20% in foudre and 5% in amphora. (AG)" (04/2026) 91-93 points Wine Advocate: "Unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berries, fruitcake and spices, the 2025 La Dame de Montrose is medium- to full-bodied, deep and dense, with a lively and layered core of fruit, supple tannins and a bright, sapid finish. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, incorporating maturation in different vessels (20% foudre and 5% amphora) and fewer rackings to maintain a more reductive profile that is better suited to the Merlot-dominant blend. (WK)" (04/2026) 92 points Jane Anson: "Mouthwatering finish, plenty of slate character, pumice stone, rose bud, iris flowers, ripe but not overripe, clearly this is juicy with some bright fruits, but creamy underneath - a world away from the kind of exuberant 2022 vintage, so take your pick on which style you prefer. August 29 began harvesting the reds for the first time (in 2022 it was September 2), then continued until September 20 so almost one month harvest. Terrace 3 and young plants saw reduced canopy height to manage water stress, but on Terrace 4 (the main estate wine) they were able to work as normal. 30hl/ha yield. 15% new oak, 5% amphora. Lower new oak than usual so slightly shorter ageing is expected. Looking forward to tasting the new Terrace 3 wine which now sits in between La Dame and the main wine, not released En Primeur." (04/2026)

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A magical, utterly profound wine in the making, the 2025 Château Montrose is a classic blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in 60% new French oak, with 12% press wine included in the final blend. Pure cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and spicy wood define the aromatics, and it's sensationally pure on the palate, with full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, ripe, polished tannins, incredible class, and a great finish. It reminds me of the 2016 with its finesse... and maybe there's a touch of 1996 here as well." (05/2026) 98-100 points Wine Advocate: "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)" (04/2026) 98-100 points Vinous: "The 2025 Montrose only comes from the Terrace IV, as has been the way since the 2023 vintage. It was picked from August 29 and finished not until September 20, so quite a long harvest, 16 days of picking between those dates. This vintage is matured in 60% new oak. This has another very intense nose with a potent graphite element that infuses the black fruit, beautifully defined but unapologetically classical in style. Wow. The purity of fruit is exceptional. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, very chiselled tannins, exquisite black fruit loaded with minéralité. So much freshness and vibrancy, gentle but insistent grip, very precise and refined on the finish, this is a Montrose that will rank as one for the ages. Wow (again). (NM)" (05/2026) 97-99 points The Wine Palate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Montrose erupts from the glass with intense notes of freshly crushed black currants, fresh blackberries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of crushed rocks, black olives, violets, and forest floor with a touch of garrigue. The delicately styled, medium-bodied palate has a firm, fine-grained texture with a refreshing line and taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It has a pH of 3.65 and the alcohol is 13.4%. It is aging for 18 months in oak barriques, 60% new. (LPB)" (04/2026) 97 points Decanter: "Vibrant purple colour in the glass. Amazing fragrance, so pure and crystalline – blackcurrants and violet notes. Silky and glossy, packed full of cherry and strawberry fruit with quite massy tannins but keeping a really cool and compact form. Structured with layers of elements but also a little granular, tight and spiced. Liquorice, cool cola and wet stone edges. Maybe less overtly charming and filling than in previous years, but this has a distinctly cool mineral edge and slightly grippy tannins on the finish. I like the style, it’s quite serious and terroir transparent. Ageing should soften this and relax a little. 3.65pH. 80 IPT. 12% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 60% new oak. (GH)" (03/2026) 97 points Jane Anson: "Deep and nuanced plum fruit on the opening, vivid ruby in colour with tension, lift and estate signature. An extremely classic Montrose, love the lift with the depth of cassis, cocoa bean, liquorice, crushed mint leaf, squid ink, crayon, a supremely Left Bank wine, very much in the 2023 vein for me, which was a vintage I adored

97-100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A magical, utterly profound wine in the making, the 2025 Château Montrose is a classic blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in 60% new French oak, with 12% press wine included in the final blend. Pure cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and spicy wood define the aromatics, and it's sensationally pure on the palate, with full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, ripe, polished tannins, incredible class, and a great finish. It reminds me of the 2016 with its finesse... and maybe there's a touch of 1996 here as well." (05/2026) 98-100 points Wine Advocate: "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)" (04/2026) 98-100 points Vinous: "The 2025 Montrose only comes from the Terrace IV, as has been the way since the 2023 vintage. It was picked from August 29 and finished not until September 20, so quite a long harvest, 16 days of picking between those dates. This vintage is matured in 60% new oak. This has another very intense nose with a potent graphite element that infuses the black fruit, beautifully defined but unapologetically classical in style. Wow. The purity of fruit is exceptional. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, very chiselled tannins, exquisite black fruit loaded with minéralité. So much freshness and vibrancy, gentle but insistent grip, very precise and refined on the finish, this is a Montrose that will rank as one for the ages. Wow (again). (NM)" (05/2026) 97-99 points The Wine Palate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Montrose erupts from the glass with intense notes of freshly crushed black currants, fresh blackberries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of crushed rocks, black olives, violets, and forest floor with a touch of garrigue. The delicately styled, medium-bodied palate has a firm, fine-grained texture with a refreshing line and taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It has a pH of 3.65 and the alcohol is 13.4%. It is aging for 18 months in oak barriques, 60% new. (LPB)" (04/2026) 97 points Decanter: "Vibrant purple colour in the glass. Amazing fragrance, so pure and crystalline – blackcurrants and violet notes. Silky and glossy, packed full of cherry and strawberry fruit with quite massy tannins but keeping a really cool and compact form. Structured with layers of elements but also a little granular, tight and spiced. Liquorice, cool cola and wet stone edges. Maybe less overtly charming and filling than in previous years, but this has a distinctly cool mineral edge and slightly grippy tannins on the finish. I like the style, it’s quite serious and terroir transparent. Ageing should soften this and relax a little. 3.65pH. 80 IPT. 12% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 60% new oak. (GH)" (03/2026) 97 points Jane Anson: "Deep and nuanced plum fruit on the opening, vivid ruby in colour with tension, lift and estate signature. An extremely classic Montrose, love the lift with the depth of cassis, cocoa bean, liquorice, crushed mint leaf, squid ink, crayon, a supremely Left Bank wine, very much in the 2023 vein for me, which was a vintage I adored

90-92 points, Neal Martin for Vinous: "The 2025 La Dame de Montrose is matured in 15% new oak, lower than before and including some foudres and amphorae, and driven by the 82% Merlot. The nose offers red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, iodine and violet aromas coming forth with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, slightly chalky, fine tension and a surfeit of freshness towards the finish. This will be wholly irresistible once in bottle and it will require minimal ageing to be enjoyed." (5/2026)

The wonderful calvados produced by the Giard Family is one of the regions most traditional and well loved. This special selections developed by Charles Neal specifically with the bartender in mind is proof that Calvados needint be old to be delicious. Aged entirely in large old oak barrels and bottled at an exhilerating 88 proof, the Montreuil selection is supple enough to be sipped, but sings in any cocktail calling for apple brandy or calvados.

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2017 Altesino "Montosoli" Brunello di Montalcino (97JS, 95RP, 95WS, 94VN, 92DC, 92KO). James Suckling: "Super clean black fruit and minerals on the nose and palate. Floral and herbal nuances, too. Medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins and a long finish. This is super-clean, long and balanced. Despite the difficult vintage, Montosoli shows its class. One of the wines of the vintage." (01/2022)

98 points Kerin O'Keefe: "Boasting aromas of new leather, eucalyptus, violet, forest floor and spice, the stunning 2019 Vigna Montosoli from Canalicchio di Sopra is an excellent expression of this celebrated site, great vintage and historic winery. Firm and youthfully austere, it delivers ripe raspberry, blackberry, tobacco and licorice before a salty finish. Framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins, it’s elegantly structured, packed with energy and intensity, with bright acidity that also keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop. A gorgeous wine. (KO)" (11/2023) 98 points Wine Advocate: "This is a gorgeous wine that really takes off in this vintage. It starts off with gentle floral aromas of lilac or dried violet and a hint of fragrant rose. The Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli boasts an impeccable nose with elegant berry fruit and light minerality. All this beauty is transferred to the palate, where the wine shows very fine-grained tannins. The fruit flows steadily over a long, rich finish. The challenge is to get a fruit finish this long, considering Brunello's strong tannins, but this wine definitely succeeds. Production is 7,200 bottles plus larger formats. (ML)" (12/2023) 97 points Vinous: "The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is coy in the glass, youthfully restrained and requires coaxing to reveal its delicate bouquet. With time, a dusty display of dried roses, licorice, cherries, cloves and camphor emanates from the glass. This model of purity is polished, silky and refined with savory spice and mineral-laden red fruits that saturate, all perfectly guided by brisk acidity. It leaves the palate stained in primary concentration, turning inward upon itself. Tart currant and mentholated herb notes add freshness to a web of fine-grained tannins. The 2019 is a breathtaking interpretation of Montosoli fruit. (EG)" (11/2023) 96 points James Suckling: "Aromas of sweet berries, flowers, sandalwood and ink follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Savory at the end. Linear and racy. Best in two or three years and onwards. (JS)" (09/2023) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Old leather, top soil and hot pavement set a savory tone at first on the nose, before aromas of vanilla, dried cherries and fresh brewed coffee emerge. Cherries with coffee and chocolate and that warm leathery embrace linger on a palate and through a finish with lots of heat. (DC)" (04/2025) 95 points Wine Spectator: "This red shows some distinctive balsamic notes -- tomato leaf, eucalyptus and mint -- that mingle with the cherry and strawberry fruit. Iron and tobacco accents chime in as this builds to the long, sinewy finish. All the elements are there, but this just needs a few years to integrate. Best from 2027 through 2043. 600 cases made, 137 cases imported. (BS)" (06/2024)

98 points Kerin O'Keefe: "Boasting aromas of new leather, eucalyptus, violet, forest floor and spice, the stunning 2019 Vigna Montosoli from Canalicchio di Sopra is an excellent expression of this celebrated site, great vintage and historic winery. Firm and youthfully austere, it delivers ripe raspberry, blackberry, tobacco and licorice before a salty finish. Framed in tightly wound, fine-grained tannins, it’s elegantly structured, packed with energy and intensity, with bright acidity that also keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop. A gorgeous wine. (KO)" (11/2023) 98 points Wine Advocate: "This is a gorgeous wine that really takes off in this vintage. It starts off with gentle floral aromas of lilac or dried violet and a hint of fragrant rose. The Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli boasts an impeccable nose with elegant berry fruit and light minerality. All this beauty is transferred to the palate, where the wine shows very fine-grained tannins. The fruit flows steadily over a long, rich finish. The challenge is to get a fruit finish this long, considering Brunello's strong tannins, but this wine definitely succeeds. Production is 7,200 bottles plus larger formats. (ML)" (12/2023) 97 points Vinous: "The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is coy in the glass, youthfully restrained and requires coaxing to reveal its delicate bouquet. With time, a dusty display of dried roses, licorice, cherries, cloves and camphor emanates from the glass. This model of purity is polished, silky and refined with savory spice and mineral-laden red fruits that saturate, all perfectly guided by brisk acidity. It leaves the palate stained in primary concentration, turning inward upon itself. Tart currant and mentholated herb notes add freshness to a web of fine-grained tannins. The 2019 is a breathtaking interpretation of Montosoli fruit. (EG)" (11/2023) 96 points James Suckling: "Aromas of sweet berries, flowers, sandalwood and ink follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Savory at the end. Linear and racy. Best in two or three years and onwards. (JS)" (09/2023) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Old leather, top soil and hot pavement set a savory tone at first on the nose, before aromas of vanilla, dried cherries and fresh brewed coffee emerge. Cherries with coffee and chocolate and that warm leathery embrace linger on a palate and through a finish with lots of heat. (DC)" (04/2025) 95 points Wine Spectator: "This red shows some distinctive balsamic notes -- tomato leaf, eucalyptus and mint -- that mingle with the cherry and strawberry fruit. Iron and tobacco accents chime in as this builds to the long, sinewy finish. All the elements are there, but this just needs a few years to integrate. Best from 2027 through 2043. 600 cases made, 137 cases imported. (BS)" (06/2024)