Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Outstanding. A little light in body. But wow. So delicious.

Opened earlier in the day and double-decanted to be served several hours later. The 1966 pours a pale garnet color with a transparent core. This is red fruit heavy and sanguine with ferrous earth, leather, and old wood. The tannins are firm still. An almost evergreen St-Estèphe that’s iron clad and tough as nails. Better than good but at nearly 60 years old, will it ever relax? Hard to say. It would likely survive another 60 years but it’s hard to imagine it evolving a lot considering where we’re at today. So...drink now, I guess?

No notes taken. A good 2nd Growth from St Estephe. Savoury palate finishing dry.

The 2010 Montrose is one of the highlights of the Icons of Bordeaux dinner. It has a show-stopper nose with powerful, intense, mineral-rich black fruit, becoming quite floral with aeration. Potpourri hints complement tobacco notes. The palate is fresh, vibrant and weighty, yet paradoxically, it has wonderful finesse. There is a symmetry about this Montrose, coupled with a tremendous length that leaves you wanting more. Brilliant. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2024)

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. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2024)

Just entering its drinking window. It has 40 years ahead of it. Excellent with Ribcap from Costco.

Interesting that there are some vegetable notes on the nose.

Very good evolution. Medium plus tannins. Juicy, ripe blackberries, black raspberries, darkest cherries, black plum/ with skin, ripe strawberries, some blue fruit hues, cedar, black licorice/cola, dark rich earth w/ leaves, sandstone, steeped sun tea, light limestone powder, ripe, light, dark spice, clove, light cinnamon, hints of nutmeg, vanillin, moist volcanic clay, fresh red, dark flowers, framed in violets, round acidity with polish/balance, softly tensioned, elegant that falls on mineral & clay that lasts two-minutes.

Yess!!

A 3 hour decant has 05 Montrose showing beautifully, wafting layers of cassis, cedar and mocha with a silky and vibrant palate and fine grained tannins. Still so young but in a real nice spot.

A gorgeous open knit wine. Soft edges of cherry and play dough and a deep cote of intense fruit with iron, dark plum. On the palate there’s blueberry and a s steeled minerality- the tannins are resolved and this is super intense and delicious with a beautiful balance. Long. Really good

Served blind alongside what was eventually revealed to be a 1997 Freemark Abbey. This was the easiest of the pairings to get our heads collectively around as we felt confident this was Bordeaux and the other was from Napa. Unfortunately, I no longer have my notes for that wine but this was particularly memorable because I had held back a glass of the 1970 Montrose and had a lovely time tasting the two of those wines side-by-side. It was remarkable how much they had in common with one another. In fact, the only real difference between the two was that the 2000 just had more of its structure in tact. Other than that, the Montrose DNA was undeniable with loads of all the darkest, blackest fruits: currants and blackberries with coffee, tobacco, and graphite. At nearly 23 years young, the structure remains positively monumental. Despite all of that, it was ever so winsome. The finish was long with wonderful acid and lovely, ferrous minerals. Drink now with patience and over the next handful of decades.