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| Drinking Windows and Values |
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| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 51 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by vagrantone on 3/3/2024 & rated 90 points: Old note from 1992 with score of 18/20
very deep hue with rim turning amber.
Distinctive Medoc nose with cassis and earthy elements.
Complex aromas with tobacco, fruit, mostly cassis, spices.
soft tannins, nice texture. (280 views) | | | Tasted by Fatty Cat on 3/2/2024 & rated 91 points: Early Mar 2024, Rheingau Gourmet Festival, rarity diner “25 vintages of Chateau Montrose”: bottle immediately opened before consumption; dark crimson color; nose of herbs and blossoms like thyme and bergamot, mingled with some creme de cassis; soft with low acidity on the palate.
Quite unusual, nevertheless excellent showing for a Montrose.
Vintages of flight III:
1952 - 1953 - 1966 - 1976 - 1979 - 1981 (335 views) | | | Tasted by HowardNZ on 1/22/2022 & rated 92 points: 1966 – 2010 Château Montrose vertical (Regional Wines, Wellington, NZ): Served single blind, one pour. Varieties: CS 70% | M 15% | CF 10% | PV 5%. The lightest garnet colour on the table (wrongly) suggesting the oldest wine. Some primary red fruit on bouquet but musky, savoury and herbal nuances suggested considerable age. Cigars and mushrooms. On palate, smooth texture, the wine gently and pleasantly advanced. Despite the age, leaner presentation and secondary and tertiary notes – tobacco leaf, sous bois and some tartufo nero – there was still some concentrated cassis fruit left at the centre. Towards the end of the tasting the remains of the glass had faded considerably. Overall, however, as an older Bordeaux, to drink now, I marginally preferred the 1976 over the 1975 and 1966.
Rankings: Me 10/12 | GK 12/12 | CT 12/12. (2840 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 8/16/2020: Surprisingly much fresher and showed a lovely red fruitedness that I didn’t expect. Still has life in this. (3238 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 7/13/2020 & rated 96 points: During a "Covid Stuck in Singapore" 14.July French National day lunch. Right off the bat you knew something serious was coming. Expressive nose of dark fruit, peat, forest floor. Very classic Medoc. Masculine but polished tannins. (3881 views) | | | Tasted by Paul S on 11/22/2019 & rated 91 points: Kelvin T's 40th Birthday (Imperial Treasure Teochew, Tanjong Pagar): An old charmer. Not the strongest Montrose, and overshadowed on the night by a charmer of a 1967 Haut-Brion, but this was nevertheless quite enjoyable. The nose clearly belonged to a very mature wine, with earth sous sous, meat, and bloody ferrous notes at the fore, before tones of cassis and hints of tobacco joined in to play. The palate was surprisingly alive after that - with bright, juicy acidity and still firm tannins forming a solid backdrop for slightly lean notes of cassis, mineral and tobacco, again wed to a good dose of dried earth and then damper sous bois tones leading into the finish. This showed a whole lot younger on the palate than on the nose. All in all, an enjoyable wine, but not the strongest. (2151 views) | | | Tasted by Euoinos on 10/22/2019 & rated 93 points: Coffee, leather, red fruit. Well balanced and structured. Tannins still with good fruit. (3154 views) | | | Tasted by Labrador on 10/10/2017 & rated 100 points: Drinking it now but had to post.
In a word - wonderful. More to follow.
This was PERFECTION in a bottle ... that I can still taste this morning.
Rating upgrade to 100.
Why the upgrade? Because it was, very simply, a stunningly elegant wine that did not want for anything. That was the unanimous opinion. The expressions on peoples' faces when they tasted it was one of surprise followed by the smile of sheer enjoyment.
This wine was everything you hope to experience in a great Bordeaux ....and more....and especially from one that is 41 years old --- great clarity and color, a seductive nose that still screamed freshness, wonderful on the palate, soft, elegant, beautifully balanced, and a lovely finish. It had that edge clarity that only comes from a mature wine. It showed wonderful notes of cedar, leather, pencil shavings, just the right amount of terrior, and a lovely blend of red and dark fruit.
The wine did not fade in any way and lasted the entire evening.
My only question is whether my remaining 2 bottles will be as outstanding. (4203 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 2/23/2017 & rated 83 points: Strangely saline nose with light roastiness. Chalky palate with a slightly bitter finish. 83- (4574 views) | | | Tasted by nywine68 on 2/23/2017 & rated 85 points: An epic vertical of Chateau Montrose (Restaurant Daniel): No nose. Awkward structure. Unresolved tannins. The 1970s line up proved that this was the lost decade in Bordeaux. Montrose vertical 1895-2000. (4748 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 1/24/2017 & rated 92 points: Have to assume this is the payoff of ex-chateau provenance from a vintage I don't think I've ever had a good bottle from. Somehow still ruby red in color and commensurately fresh on the palate albeit lighter in complexion. But it's not lean, actually quite fleshy and billowy, and still has flavors recognizably continuing the theme from the bigger vintages. (2733 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 1/24/2017 & rated 92 points: Chateau Montrose with Mr. Herve Berland (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Surprisingly youthful dark color. Old school Bordeaux nose displaying a hint of cassis, plum, ash, strong mint, lead pencil, cedar and mineral. Very good concentration, fully resolved harmonious palate and a medium to long finish with mineral and ash at the end. According to Herve, it was picked early which helped to retain the freshness. It really is quite fresh with a hint of green expressing as mint/spearmint. Not the most complex but a beautiful mature old school claret. (5599 views) | | | Tasted by WinePlanner on 1/20/2017 & rated 90 points: Suprisingly fresh. With 15 minutes to open it showed lively raspberry and cranberry flavors. Flavors mostly deminished before an hour was up. Better drink up what you have now. (3895 views) | | | Tasted by J @ y H @ c k on 4/9/2016 & rated 91 points: Friends of ours invited us for dinner and said they were going to open a 1970 Beychevelle but when we arrived, they had decided to go with a 1976 Montrose. Fill was bottom neck or maybe a millimeter higher. I had brought my Durand in expectation of needing it for the Beychevelle. The cork cane out quite well, was soaked only about half way through, and did not crumble. Decanted into a narrow mouth decanter with very little sediment, but it was probably shaken up quite a bit when being carried from wine rack to counter etc. that day.
The color was perfect. NO BRICKING AT ALL and not even a hint of brownish red color. Sat in the decanter for about 20 minutes before drinking. The palate was exactly what I would have expected of a Montrose without the horsiness. Earthy with a bot of smooth saddle leather and even a bit of soft tobacco. Rebecca described it as a freshly plowed field and our hosts thought that was a perfect descriptor. There was no apparent fruit at the start, but as the wine took on air in the glass and the decanter over the next 30 minutes, some dark cherry fruit because to emerge. Excellent balance. Very smooth with no rough edges and no degradation from age.
This bottle was supposedly purchased as part of a mixed lot at a Christie's auction. I can't speak to storage or provenance, but it is difficult to believe that a bottle could have come out better after 40 years without having been stored at 42 degrees.
The 1976 vintage was nothing to write home about when it was first released, having been far overshadowed by everyone going crazy over the tannic 1975s that never really panned out and the 1976 Burgs that everyone was extolling at the time. I bought no 1976 Bordeaux at the time but have had a few over the years and the vintage always seems to play well above its initial expectations. Not quite the Mike Piazza of Bordeaux, but you get my drift. (4053 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 1/12/2016 & rated 88 points: Dinner with Herve Berland. Not my favorite, bit watery and weak in my opinion. (3171 views) | | | Tasted by LWI on 5/3/2015 & rated 89 points: 31 Vintages of Château Montrose: 1928-2010; 5/2/2015-5/3/2015: Brownish color, some vegetables, limited concentration. In spite of the green elements, the fruit - strangely enough - has a decent maturity. Good length. (5202 views) | | | Tasted by Lord Rayas on 12/17/2014 & rated 93 points: Afternoon session with Sid, JJ, Ham and Lobster post Uncle Tom lunch (Wine Vault): ex chateau bottle recorked in 2000. amazingly fresh and youthful with pleasant notes of spice and tobacco. a very pleasant surprise. (4601 views) | | | Tasted by Stylo on 11/13/2014 & rated 90 points: 13.11.2014 vurdert til 90 poeng
Aldring mot kant, noe uklar. På nesen, fine, delikate tertiæraromaer som sjokolade, hint av mynte, toast, i tillegg til modne røde og mørke bær, som solbær. I munnen, middels fylde, glatte, avslepne tanniner, som likevel gir et delikat, tørt gripp. Flott konsentrasjon og lang pluss lengde. Strålende kvalitet. (4429 views) | | | Tasted by Wine Trader on 5/8/2014 & rated 90 points: 375ml. Perfect condition. Cork was only about 1cm wet past it's seal and came out with suction. This wine is drinking much better than the 1975. An easy 90 points. Superb 38 years later even from a half bottle. (4150 views) | | | Tasted by Raycheng77 on 12/31/2013 & rated 90 points: Condition is good if consider the age. Pale garnet in color, clear, with sediment of course, some legs.
Nose is clean, with some red fruit, dry fruit, dry plum. behind the fruit there are some vanilla, coffee and caramel, afterwards the forest, wet leave, herbs and truffle.
Lovely! But need to drink now as the peak has already passed.. (3865 views) | | | Tasted by HowardNZ on 12/1/2013 & rated 91 points: TNs: 1953, 1960, 1962 and 1986 Château Margaux, 1953 and 1955 Rioja etc: Tasted blind in an older Bordeaux line up. Light red in colour, just beginning to brown. Relatively fresh, lively aromas of raspberry, spice, cherry and cassis. On palate, a relatively sweet entry, followed by good mid palate weight and intensity and ultimately a savoury finish. Some tasters liked this, but I worried about a lack of balance in the acids, the fruit fading and the wine finishing a little short. For me, a nice Bordeaux, but not a great Montrose (Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 25%, Cabernet Franc 10%). 91. (3703 views) | | | Tasted by Comte Flaneur on 11/18/2013 & rated 89 points: This is the second time I have tried this wine in less than a week. In the context of the vintage it is a triumph. Most 1976s, if they haven't already fallen off their perches, are about to. The 1976 Montrose by contrast is holding together very well, has an impressive density and grip on the mid-palate and is a pleasure to drink. Compared to more modern vintages of Montrose, it is neither opulent nor long on the finish, but it is nevertheless an enthralling throwback to the old school. (3372 views) | | | Tasted by Klugi Wine on 10/4/2013 & rated 82 points: Not quite sure, if this bottle was clean. I had some musky overtones on the bouquet overshadowing the rest what could have been left. Drink up or get better luck... (3262 views) | | | Tasted by Ary on 6/28/2013 & rated 89 points: Bordeaux 1990 (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Light brick color. A well kept bottle. Stable, milky and herbaceous tones on the nose. Mostly secondary notes on the palate and some fruit notes as rose hip. Drying on the finish. If you're born in 1976 this is probably the wine you want to get. (3451 views) | | | Tasted by CManthei on 12/8/2012 & rated 93 points: Had a different experience than a lot of other reviewers... Thought this bottle was excellent. The balance really stood out. Great old world favors of earth, mud, and the farm along with bright red fruits like cherry. Enjoy this soon if you have it!! (3513 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château Montrose Producer website – Read more about Chateau Montrose
This was acquired In 1778 as part of the Calon estate, by Etienne Théodore Dumoulin. After his death, his son, (also Etienne Théodore Dumoulin) cleared the vegetation and discovered the soil beneath was gravelly and suitable for the vine. Planting was completed by 1815 with good results. By 1820, Dumoulin had expanded the vineyard and built a small chateau. This vineyard has changed hands many times over the years. New equipment in 1975, and again in 1985, and a new barrel cellar helped sow the seeds for Montrose's renovation, which reached a peak in about 2000 with some excellent wines. The estate and the wines were enjoying a great reputation when, in 2006, it changed hands once more when Martin & Oliver Bouygues bought the vineyard. The vineyard is currently 65 hectares with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The wines go into oak, 70% new for eighteen months for the Grand Vin Chateau Montrose (typically 19,000 cases per annum). Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Estèphe Read more about St. Estephe and its wines Whereas the first activity recorded in Saint-Estèphe goes back as far as the Middle Bronze Age, the first vines date from the Roman Occupation. But it was the Bordeaux merchants who by aging and selling Saint-Estèphe wines themselves were largely responsible for this appellation's fame. And in the nineteenth century, noted for its prosperity, the great estates of today were created. The movement continues today with the merging of small estates.
A land of great wines, Saint-Estèphe is situated almost in the centre of the Médoc, close to the Gironde Estuary. The appellation is equidistant from Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave.
The beds of soil are characterized by their remarkable diversity, the result of their undulating relief and excellent drainage. Quartz and well-rounded pebbles mingled with light, sandy surface soil are found everywhere, giving the wines a distinctive finesse. And the subsoil is made up of the famous Saint-Estèphe limestone, which outcrops on the west of the commune.
Tasting
Thanks to ideal conditions of climate and geology, Saint-Estèphe wines are characterized by their sturdy qualities and robust constitution. Accordingly, they can be laid down for a very long time while yet preserving their youth and freshness. Distinguished by a subsoil which is more clayey than that in the other communal appellations which lie by the river, the wine here attains a distinctive individuality : a very rich tannic structure, a fine deep red colour and an exceptional backbone with aromas of great finesse.
Production conditions (Decree dated September 11, 1936):
In order to have the right to the Saint-Estèphe appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the communes of Saint-Estèphe, "excluding any parcels in that area which are situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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