CHÂTEAU MONTROSE
2019 2ème Cru Classé Saint Estèphe
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. Drinking range: 2028 - 2060 Rating: 98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2034 - 2069 Rating: 100 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
The 2019 Montrose was bottled in July 2021, and though I did not taste it en primeur, I did sample it just prior to bottling and then after, in September 2021. It was picked from September 19 to October 8, with a similar percentage of Merlot to the 2009 (30% compared to around 25% due to the ripeness). At 14.4% alcohol, it has lower alcohol than the 2018 (14.8%). The Merlot guides the nose, which is a little more flamboyant than usual for Montrose, and very pure, offering small black cherries, black currant, wild mint and just a hint of camphor. The palate is medium-bodied, spicy and vibrant, with a silky-smooth texture and a touch of peppercorn on the entry. There is wonderful tension throughout this Montrose, and gentle grip on the finish. Will this vintage be more approachable than the 2018? Drinking range: 2027 - 2060 Rating: 97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
Gorgeous rich colour here, a lovely wine full of pleasure. Chocolate, mocha, cappuccino, lots of toasted oak, great quality, with concentrated black fruits along with slate, crushed stone, smoked earth - measured, confident, delicious. I have tasted this a few times this year, and it has consistently been punching at the very top of its game. A no-brainer to recommend. 12% press wine, 47hl/ha yield, 60% new oak. Drinking range: 2028 - 2055 Rating: 99 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2022)
Lush and lovely, showing a mix of creamed loganberry, plum, boysenberry and mulberry flavors that borders on exotic, but everything stays harnessed by sleek floral and iron notes through the finish. This has ample structure for balance that's well-embedded in the fruit, making this seemingly approachable now but there's absolutely no rush. A beauty. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2040.—J.M. Rating: 96 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jan 2022)
Deep purple-black hue. Slightly shy and reserved but clearly has plenty of depth. Elegant, dark-fruit fragrance as the wine opens. Clean and direct on attack with a marked note of salinity. Plenty of power but really refined tannins assisted by a bright, juicy quality to the fruit. Incredible length on the finish. Drinking range: 2030 - 2050 Rating: 18+ James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Jun 2020)
Oh this is good, it steals up on you with real depth of flavour, stately and concentrated in a way that reminds me of a 1996 or a 2016. Extremely measured, very clear that this is going to age effortlessly, it is extremely discreet and yet packed with persistent flavours. A masterclass in the flavours and aromatics that you expect in a great Médoc wine - slate, crushed stones, savoury blackcurrant, liquorice, hints of smoke and cold ash. After five minutes in the glass the sweeter berry fruit comes out, and the whole thing is sappy and mouthwatering, and makes you smile. 12% press wine, 3.77oH. A yield of 47hl/ha. 60% new oak. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking range: 2029 - 2050 Rating: 98 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2020)
Château Montrose
St Estèphe Deuxième cru 1855 Wine production St Estèphe developed much later than further south in the Haut-Médoc - indeed, the vineyards of Château Montrose were not planted until 1815, when it was then part of the Calon-Ségur estate. Only 40 years later, not only had Montrose seperated from its parent, it had surpassed it, being one of only two St Estèphe estates to be awarded 2nd Growth status in the 1855 classification. Montrose sits nearer the river than Cos d'Estournel on classic Haut-Médoc gravel soil - the last outcrop as you head north. The 65ha of vines are 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin spends 18 months in wood (70% new). A second wine was introduced in 1983 - La Dame de Montrose - aged in wood for 12 months (20% new). Montrose is a noted performer in weaker vintages, possibly because of a generous micro-climate which allows slightly earlier picking than most of the Haut-Médoc. The wines age brilliantly.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.