Results for: "Montrose"

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)

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.

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.

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! (LPB)

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)

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.

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.

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2009 Montrose, St-Estèphe (100JD, 100RP, 100TWI, 99JA, 98JS, 98VN, 97ST, 97WS, 96DC, 96WE). Wine Advocate: "... 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. (RP)" (08/2014)

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.

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.

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)

Intense, smoky, plenty of black fruit, who doesn't love this 2nd wine of Château Montrose? It's a vintage that is often overlooked, particularly after the run of great years Bordeaux has had recently, but it's at a great moment to open right now, and delivers a ton of St Estèphe and Left Bank typicity, with crayon and graphite.

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)

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.

Bid on this bottle of 2005 Montrose, St-Estèphe (98JA, 98RP, 98TWI, 97JD, 97VN, 96DC, 96JS, 95WS). Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Montrose continues to show brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of blackcurrant, red fruits, loamy soil, black truffles and cigar ash. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's still brooding and tannic, with lively acids and an imposing chassis of structuring—and artery-cleansing—extract. Still an adolescent, it's one of the last unrepentantly old-school vintages of Montrose, and Médoc purists couldn't own enough. (WK)" (02/2022)

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.

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 3-bottle lot of 2020 La Dame de Montrose, St-Estèphe (95JS, 94VN, 92DC, 92JA, 92WS). James Suckling: " Blackcurrants with crushed stone and slate. Lead pencil. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and precision. Fantastic length and focus. One of the best Dames I have had. Organically grown grapes. 48% merlot, 46% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot and cabernet franc." (03/2023)

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)

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.

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.

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

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

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 blackberries and blackcurrants show through beautifully, together with very integrated tannins. Dense and textured. Transparent. Graphite coming through. Second wine of Montrose.

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! (LPB)

Bid on this bottle of 2015 Montrose, St-Estèphe (98JS, 96WE, 95JD, 95RP, 95VN, 93DC). James Suckling: "Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time." (01/2018)

Complex nose in which floral and earth elements mingle with a hint of graphite. Impressive structure for a village wine, but also elegant thanks to the fine tannins. Long, velvety finish that's been expertly crafted. A cuvee of all the domaine's sites in this commune (3.2 hectares total). From organically grown grapes. Matured in 30% new oak. Drink or hold.

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

Do not make the mistake of thinking this is just a "Rosso." Because Baricci’s entire estate lies within the Montosoli cru, this is effectively declassified Grand Cru Brunello. In the 2024 vintage—a year defined by a hot July but a miraculously cool, even ripening season in August and September—the northern exposure of Montosoli was the magic ticket. While others struggled with heat, Baricci retained vibrant acidity. The nose is a high-toned explosion of wild strawberries, crushed rock, and fresh rose petals. On the palate, it offers a "crunchy" tension and saline minerality that you rarely find in a Rosso. It is electric, savory, and undeniably serious.

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+

Dedicated to Nello Baricci who founded the small estate in 1955, the 2019 Riserva Nello is compelling, starting with its enticing aromas of underbrush, pressed violet, camphor and ripe dark-skinned berry. Smooth and elegantly structured, the delicious palate has layers of flavors including juicy black cherry, raspberry, licorice and mocha set against a backbone of refined, close-grained tannins. Showing the nature of the vintage, it’s still youthfully austere, with vibrant acidity. It’s already gorgeous but give it time to fully develop. (KO)

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)

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%.