Damn good bottle of wine..
Edit… came back as I couldn’t stop thinking about this bottle all night.
California wines were my ‘gateway drug’. I moved away from these wines as I learned about and tried the many many varietals around the world. Ultimately, I fell in love with the quality and, frankly, accessibility of Italian wines. Over the last 5 or 10 years i’ve tried many Italians, travelled to and gotten to know the regions reasonably well. Italy vino is my thing.
But French wine… it eludes me. I know there are great wines — maybe the best. But the country is so large, the regions and varieties so diverse, the price, sometimes too discouraging, that I simply haven’t learned enough about the wines to know my way around the offerings or how to find the wines I love.
But… I know they are there. I’ve had my share. And just how “every now and then a squirrel finds a nut”, so to do I, from time to time find my way to a great French bottle to remind me I’ve leveled up.
This bottle, for me, was one of those reminders. I actually opened it by accident. While bummed it had no age, I was so happy to drink it. I’ll probably buy a few more to cellar… and, yeah, will probably now spend a little more time and money brushing up on my French…
— a month ago
We think something has changed at Montrose after the departure of Jean Bernard Delmas. Its not a bad wine by any means but the style is modern and extracted. At ten years this ie very drinkable and great quality but does not speak to its terroir as it used to. Hope its just one year… — a month ago
Inky dark ruby, licorice and cherries, full body — a month ago
This is literally a 2nd Label from a 2nd Growth Grand Cru Classé with a vintage that seats among the great years of Château Montrose. The grapes were very good quality, and further strengthened Montrose’s ultra-precise plot selection, which at times involves multiple passes through a plot to attain optimum ripeness. Unequivocally, the 2nd selection of Château Montrose is marked by the terroir as well (Situated on a well-exposed gravelly land overlooking the Gironde)
The blend composition; Cab Sauv 55 %, Merlot 41 % Petit Verdot 4 % takes you to experience an intense deep red color, a powerful and expressive nose with complex aromas of black fruit, fine oak, a bit caramelized and a hint of pleasant smoky notes as well.
The entrance on the palate is full force and rich, the roundness and harmony are sensed by the mid-rage of the palate as well, the mouthfeel reveals very silky tannins, it provides a great length with some degree of red fruit ripeness on the finish.
This wine V.2015 is still cruising beautifully in its prime time and will continue like this for another 3-5 years with the same tasting profile, and the price point makes it even tastier! Cheers! — 3 days ago
Another excellent btl that was consistent with my prior notes — 22 days ago
Steve Rura
40 year old vines. Blend of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. 13.5% abv. Feels so young for a 2016! Red berries, spice, raisin and fresh greens on the nose. Delicate palate, underripe raspberry and red currant, with a refined long herbal finish and bitter notes. Great soft, tingly tannins. Excellent Bordeaux, I have to say. St Julien style. I’m amazed at how fresh this tastes after almost a decade. — 12 days ago