Montrose 2020

St Estephe, Second Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2020 Montrose is epic. Dark, rich and brooding, the 2020 possesses remarkable intensity, and, yet it is somehow not excessively heavy. Time in the glass brings out the wine's more elegant sophisticated side. All the elements are so well-balanced. Red/purplish fruit, lavender rose petal, gravel and spice are all accented by veins of intense minerality that lend shape and energy. The 2020 is a modern-day classic for Montrose and one of the great wines of the Left Bank. Score: 99 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2070 23 February 2023
The 2020 Montrose was bottled in July 2022. The alcohol is 13.4%, a whole degree less than the previous year but with the same concentration (IPT is 80). It has a fabulous bouquet that delivers on all that promise from when I finally tasted the wine around a year earlier from barrel, a cornucopia of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, Indian ink and loamy/undergrowth scents. Very mercurial in the glass, it seems to shapeshift with every minute. The palate is medium-bodied with such a precise entry. This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage. Score: 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2065 08 February 2023
The 2020 Montrose was bottled in July 2022. The alcohol is 13.4%, a whole degree less than the previous year but with the same concentration (IPT is 80). It has a fabulous bouquet that delivers on all that promise from when I finally tasted the wine around a year earlier from barrel, a cornucopia of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, Indian ink and loamy/undergrowth scents. Very mercurial in the glass, it seems to shapeshift with every minute. The palate is medium-bodied with such a precise entry. This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage. Score: 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2065 01 February 2023
The 2020 Montrose was picked September 10-29; the clusters between 10% and 20% smaller than normal. It has an intense nose that is even more powerful than the 2019, revealing layers of blackberry, briar, cedar, pencil shavings and smoke that evolve wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, precise and poised, with unerring symmetry and perfect salinity. Very harmonious, almost pixelated on the finish. This is simply brilliant. Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2080 01 February 2022
Still an En Primeur wine, last tasted a few months ago. Has all the character and subtle joy of Montrose, it is poised and characterful, and will give great pleasure for many decades. Inky, broad-shouldered, precise, well-crafted fruits that major on cassis and bilberry, wrapped up in graphite and gunsmoke. A little less depth than the 2019, but clearly built for the long term. Harvest September 10 to September 29. An exceptional example of the 2020 vintage. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2060 22 September 2021
A serious wall of blueberry and blackberry compote, and a ton of savoury Cabernet sinew and freshness. This is a great Montrose, inky, broad-shouldered and structured. It needs time to aerate and open in the glass, then you see the precision, the heft, the chiselling of the fruits with a ton of graphite, cigar box and campfire smoke - huge persistency. This will need a long time and will reward patience. One of the few where a 1986, 2016 and 2010 comparison makes sense. A yield around 30hl/ha. 1% Petit Verdot, 3.86pH, IPT 80. 45% of the overall production. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2029 - 2050 19 May 2021
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Deep colour. Dark, intense and very pure but with an energy that makes it vibrant. Big tannic frame but tannins really finely honed. Long and persistent with plenty of drive on the finish. Long ageing potential. (JL) Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com 09 May 2021

Tasting Notes

The 2020 Montrose is epic. Dark, rich and brooding, the 2020 possesses remarkable intensity, and, yet it is somehow not excessively heavy. Time in the glass brings out the wine's more elegant sophisticated side. All the elements are so well-balanced. Red/purplish fruit, lavender rose petal, gravel and spice are all accented by veins of intense minerality that lend shape and energy. The 2020 is a modern-day classic for Montrose and one of the great wines of the Left Bank.

Score: 99

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2070 23 February 2023

The 2020 Montrose was bottled in July 2022. The alcohol is 13.4%, a whole degree less than the previous year but with the same concentration (IPT is 80). It has a fabulous bouquet that delivers on all that promise from when I finally tasted the wine around a year earlier from barrel, a cornucopia of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, Indian ink and loamy/undergrowth scents. Very mercurial in the glass, it seems to shapeshift with every minute. The palate is medium-bodied with such a precise entry. This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage.

Score: 99

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2065 08 February 2023

Score: 99

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2065 01 February 2023

The 2020 Montrose was picked September 10-29; the clusters between 10% and 20% smaller than normal. It has an intense nose that is even more powerful than the 2019, revealing layers of blackberry, briar, cedar, pencil shavings and smoke that evolve wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, precise and poised, with unerring symmetry and perfect salinity. Very harmonious, almost pixelated on the finish. This is simply brilliant.

Score: 98 - 100

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2080 01 February 2022

Still an En Primeur wine, last tasted a few months ago. Has all the character and subtle joy of Montrose, it is poised and characterful, and will give great pleasure for many decades. Inky, broad-shouldered, precise, well-crafted fruits that major on cassis and bilberry, wrapped up in graphite and gunsmoke. A little less depth than the 2019, but clearly built for the long term. Harvest September 10 to September 29. An exceptional example of the 2020 vintage.

Score: 97

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2060 22 September 2021

A serious wall of blueberry and blackberry compote, and a ton of savoury Cabernet sinew and freshness. This is a great Montrose, inky, broad-shouldered and structured. It needs time to aerate and open in the glass, then you see the precision, the heft, the chiselling of the fruits with a ton of graphite, cigar box and campfire smoke - huge persistency. This will need a long time and will reward patience. One of the few where a 1986, 2016 and 2010 comparison makes sense. A yield around 30hl/ha. 1% Petit Verdot, 3.86pH, IPT 80. 45% of the overall production.

Score: 98

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2029 - 2050 19 May 2021

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Deep colour. Dark, intense and very pure but with an energy that makes it vibrant. Big tannic frame but tannins really finely honed. Long and persistent with plenty of drive on the finish. Long ageing potential. (JL)

Score: 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com 09 May 2021

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