CHÂTEAU MONTROSE

Still extremely young, feels significantly more closed than the 1996, with a greater emphasis on spicy black pepper and cassis, and still firm tannins. You feel the tannins pressing in on the close of play, whereas in the 1996 the tannins are now like spun silk, fully integrated. I last tasted this wine two years ago, and it is clearly starting to move into the next phase now after a stubborn beginning, coming out of itself and showing the finesse and the elegance of the vintage. The tobacco and crushed mint leaf notes emerge after five minutes of swirling and sniffing, and this has a long future ahead and is packed with appellation typicity. Harvest September 22 to October 7. First year in the new stainless steel vat room with bigger capacity and smaller sized vats covering 50hl, 80hl, 100hl, with just a few 200hl vats for the blend (previously entirely 200hl wooden vats). Drinking range: 2021 - 2045 Rating: 98 Jane Anson, Decanter (Sept 2021)

The 2010 Montrose has an outstanding bouquet with graphite infused black fruit, cedar and tobacco, extremely well focused and seeming to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with perfect acidity, gentle grip, bestowed with an unerring symmetry. It is endowed with fine body and it fans out wonderfully on the persistent finish. Outstanding. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. Drinking range: 2025 - 2065 Rating: 98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2020)

Bright, deep ruby-red. Superripe, deep aromas of black raspberry, cassis, plum, minerals, licorice and bitter chocolate. Densely packed, elegant and classically dry, with creamy depth of dark fruit and mineral flavors given definition and cut by terrific vinosity. This compellingly pure, extract-rich wine showed increasing energy as it opened in the glass. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and outstanding length and perfume. A great vintage for Montrose, in a modern style. Following the first couple vintages made under the direction of Jean Delmas, the '09 and '10 have shown considerably more stuffing. I would not be at all surprised if my score proved to be overly conservative. Rating: 94 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Jul 2013)

The acquisition of some vineyards from Phélan-Ségur has boosted the Merlot quotient of this, the most tannic of Saint Estèphes, but this is still a very firm, backward wine. Essence of Saint Estèphe: dark, brooding, concentrated with amazing, roasted intensity, glycerol-saturated fruit and tannin levels that wouldn’t look out of place in Barolo. A true vin de garde. 25+ years. Rating: 97 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2011)

Jean Delmas believes this is one of the all-time great wines of Montrose, comparable to the 2009, 1990, 1989, 1959, 1947, 1945 and 1929. The 2010 harvest took place between September 27 and October 15, and the final blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that achieved 13.75% natural alcohol, a fraction above the 2009's 13.7%. Somewhat reminiscent of the 1989, only even inkier and richer, the 2010 boasts a dense purple color along with glorious aromatics of blueberries, boysenberries, black currants and a crushed chalk-like minerality. The tannins are less intrusive than I would have suspected for such a young Montrose, but they are unquestionably ripe and well-integrated. Deep, full-bodied and massive, this beauty should be at its finest between 2018-2050. 2018-2050 Drinking range: 2018 - 2050 Rating: 96 - 99+ Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (May 2011)

(a blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot) Deep inky-purple colour. Enticing aromas of pure floral blackberry, blueberry and minerals. Enters big, dense and suave, showing rich, almost viscous red and black fruit flavors complicated by dried herbs, tobacco, and minerals. The very long finish showcases some youthfully chewy tannins that could use a bit more polish. This large-scale Montrose is a bit chunky at present and quite backward; it will need plenty of time in the cellar but should prove to be very ageworthy (30+ years), although it's not nearly as thrilling as the splendid 2009 made here. The harvest at Montrose took place from September 27 to October 15, and the wine avoids any hint of overripeness, but flowering was somewhat uneven. Incidentally, Montrose bought a parcel of vines from Phelan-Segur last year, and this year one-third of the grapes from those 22 hectares went into the grand vin This explains the slight increase in the percentages of cabernet franc and merlot in the final blend, as these varieties were well represented in the purchased hectares. Rating: 91-94 Ian d'Agata, www.vinousmedia.com (May 2011)

53% Cabernet Sauvignon (75% last year! And expected to increase), 37% Merlot, 9% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. 64% of total production and remarkable for the unusually high proportion of Merlot in the grand vin blend – because of the purchase of vineyard from Phelan Ségur last year (did this help the Phelan purchase of restaurant Taillevent in Paris?) Very deep crimson. Quite different from most of these northern Médoc wines – much rounder and less fresh (presumably because of the Merlot). Very different from classical austere Montroses but soft and charming. As a wine, it is extremely well made with just a little furriness on the finish. As a Montrose it’s a bit disconcerting but my mark ignores this. Rather unusual lack of freshness. Just a bit plodding, astringent and sweet on the end. 2020-2034 Drinking range: 2026 - 2034 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2011)

Elegant, quite reserved fruit, quite discreet now, will gain in length, but less exciting than 2009. Drink 2020-35. Rating: ****18 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2011)

This is 64% of production, and the assemblage is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The alcohol is 13.8%. This particular barrel sample has a very dark, crimson-black hue with a thin crimson rim. The first point of impact is on the nose, which is just delightful, the very dark fruit taking on a perfumed and very floral character, with a little pencil lead too, laced with little notes of soot suggesting an undercurrent of tannin. A great purity here, despite the fine concentration so evident. Following on in the same vein the palate is beautifully harmonious, the polished and sweet layer of fruit filling the mouth, the tannins beautifully covered by this uppermost of many layers, only appearing very slowly from beneath the fruit of the sample with a defined, grainy, subtly soot-stained character. This is, remarkably for Montrose, almost seductive in its composition. In fact it is very seductive! Yet beneath it all, perfectly integrated within the substance of the wine, there is structure, provided by some intense, firm, cokey but very finely grained tannins. This could be, given time, superb. A great success! Rating: 18-19/20 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2011)

Tasted at the Château, Montrose is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot picked between from 27th September through to 15th October, cropped at 45hl/ha. It has 13.8% alcohol with a pH 3.65. The bouquet is tightly wound at first, pure blackberry, dark cherries, just a touch of coca with very good vigour. Very juicy, quite saturated with a very dense, impenetrable finish. Sinewy, structured and masculine, with a slight saline touch on the aftertaste. This is a great Montrose that will one day be fascinating to compare against the 2009. 2020-2050. Drinking range: 2020 - 2050 Rating: 96-98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2011)

This is really integrated and polished, with a full body and super layers of cashmere-like tannins. Goes on and on. 53 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 percent Merlot, 9 percent Cabernet Franc and 1 percent Petit Verdot. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2011)

Dense and dark, with a massive core of roasted fig, blackberry, espresso and bittersweet cocoa flavors followed by rapier tannins that drive through the finish. This has both richness and austerity. When it all comes together fully, this should be a superb wine. Rating: 95-98 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2011)