Appellations

Montrose 2015

St Estephe, Second Growth

GBP Price: Size Quantities Units status Actions
Tasting Notes

Dark and intense with some grip of black fruits, with some notes of peat and smoke on the finish. Just seems to lack the punch and complexity of the greatest Montroses,

Score: 91 - 93 Albany Vintners, - Date: 27 April 2016

67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Very dark and very dramatic. Even a hint of overripeness on the nose. A little stodgy. Could do with a little more lift. A little dry at present. Clearly fashioned for the very long term. Kerpow! Very much in the style of the old Montroses in terms of sheer concentration. (17+ Points)

Score: 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2027-2042 Date: 01 April 2016

Blueberry, black currant, fresh basil and lemon grass flavors. Full body, velvety tannins, clean finish. Spices. Depth.

Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 01 April 2016

The 2015 Montrose is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc that was picked between 15 September and 8 October, the fruit sorted three times using three sorting tables, then an optical sorting machine and finally by hand. Matured in 65% new oak, it possesses some of the best aromatics you will find in the appéllation - billowing blackberry, cassis and boysenberry scents all beautifully defined and seamlessly integrated with the new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, commendable depth and a vibrant bead of acidity that lends this Montrose tension from start to finish. The class comes through strongly in this wine, perhaps the best Saint Estèphe this year. Give this a decade in bottle, more if you can, since Montrose tends to repay cellaring.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025-2060 Date: 01 April 2016

The 2015 Montrose is silky, super-finessed and nuanced, all qualities that are unusual for a wine that is usually much more of a powerhouse. Black cherry, smoke, leather, graphite, crème de cassis and licorice notes open up in the glass, yet the wine comes across as raw and not fully formed. The 2015 appeared to put on a bit of weight over the two weeks I followed it, but I don't see the depth, structure and personality of the very best versions.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 April 2016