Nose: Blueberry. Leather. Tobacco. Dates. Oak. Medium plus intensity.
Palate: Raisins. Blueberry. Leather. Raspberry. Cranberry. Sour cherry. Huge tannins, very impressive. Medium plus acidity. Dry. Medium plus body. High flavour intensity.
Finish: Long finish. Sour cherry.
The wine has big tannins for its age. It may be slightly out of balance because of this, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyways. Delicious.
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Dark color with just the faintest hint of bricking. Similar to other tasters, my bottle has remained very youthful. Iron and graphite minerality are the core of this wine. Tannins are abundant, but fine grained. A decade ahead for this wine if you wanted to wait, but a nice drink now. Drank over two days.
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What a pleasant surprise, particularly after the previous bottle. Real improvement. Typical Bordeaux nose of earth, moss and olives contrasts with a fruit filled palate of blackberry, blueberry and cassis. Yes, there are some afternotes of granite, leather and tobacco but fruit really predominates. Tannins are integrated but a strong backbone remains. Full bodied with a medium finish. In a great place right now.
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The quality here is impressive and it’s literally in a great spot. Ripe, earthy, mature sous bois and green olive aromas beautifully contrast bright, juicy, and fresh dark fruit and cassis flavors. Classically styled, nicely integrated, and textbook tannin and structure. Shows traces of bottle age oxidation and continued to develop as the night wore on. The perfect foil for a cold, rainy Southern California evening.
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Paperwork not handy. Bought 4b of this 5-7 years ago, probably at/under 25/b (Wine Lib? Trader Joe's?). Decanted with normal sediment for this age. Dark purple color; big nose, lots of Bdx perfume after 2 hours--mature red fruit, subtle (FR) oak; very good mouthfeel, well integrated flavors; good finish. Better than any Ch Montrose (grand vin) that I tasted years ago (all non-super vintages from the 80s). Shared over turkey dinner with some knowledgeable Cali table mates--EU-trained wine marketing prof, local boutique wine bar(s) owner--who gravitated toward this and another Bdx ('04 Ch Duhart-Milon) relative to some local gems. I found it delicious and satisfying. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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Bright, juicy, fresh fruits on the front end with the kick of green olives, cassis and tannins on the back end. Classic in style, everything has come together, so you can drink this now.
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Strong tannin, even after 2 hours decant. Not much fruits, some minerals, herbaceous / green and oak. med finishing. Have tried better bottles, probably off or sleeping ... revisit after 2 years ....
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OK for a second label. Medium ruby color. No signs of age in color. Slightly floral nose with some mossy notes. A bit thin on the palate. Nice fruit with an earthy, forest floor and a medium tobacco finish. Expected a bit more from Montrose.
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Palate of wood, smoke, forest, pepper and black berries in the nose. Taste of cherries, vanilla and an aftertaste of marsipan. Balanced and smooth tannins. On the negative side, a tad plump.
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Similar to my last note. Thin at first but after 90 minutes it started to open up. It turned very tannic with hints of blueberry. This one has a ton of life left. It keeps getting better the longer it's open.
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2 hour decant. Inky crimson color. Cassis, black fruit, leather and green pepper on the nose; black cherry, cedar, mint and tobacco on the palate. Silky and surprisingly fruity on the palate. A little hollow in the middle, but nice tannic backbone and grip on the finish. Definitely Left Bank. Good value.
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Decent vintage, superb house, yet a bland wine utterly devoid of character and drinking pleasure. Despite its "second wine" status, this should come from a pedigree and a vintage which should offer some elegance, some sense of its breeding. Instead, La Dame has an insipid, boring character, not uncommonly found stuffing the cheap seats in supermarket shelves and giving pleasure to those on tacky hen parties. It is not a "bad" wine, but it is also not something you should pay more than £10 for. For Montrose to put its name on this garble, and for it to be sold in serious wine merchants at a price where one can enjoy decent Burgundy or Brunello or Barolo or Priorat, is an exercise in Bordelaise pompousity. I poured it down the drain.
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This is an enjoyable wine. Give it about 30-60 minutes to open up. It was a little tight and thin at first, but it opened up nicely. It's tannic with subtle flavors for blackberry.
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med full red color with some glisten and nose of damp forest floor and shrubs with currant, entry is interesting with strong acid, tannins and a pinch of salt a la Montrose, body is diluted and herbal with an overly dry and difficult finish (ABC). I have yet to fully enjoy a Second wine, I find them diluted and a bit offensive. Don't know if it's the use of younger vines but much better enjoyment is had by just buying the first wine of a lesser pedigree
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Expectations were admittedly very high given how much I like the 1st wine of this chateau, unfortunately however, I found this to be very ordinary, showed little complexity, the fruit was barely there ,with little on the mid palate and a quick finish
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9/17/2022 - Labrador wrote: 87 Points
No formal notes by a very enjoyable St. Estephe from Montrose
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9/18/2021 - Dominic Roy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose: Blueberry. Leather. Tobacco. Dates. Oak. Medium plus intensity.
Palate: Raisins. Blueberry. Leather. Raspberry. Cranberry. Sour cherry. Huge tannins, very impressive. Medium plus acidity. Dry. Medium plus body. High flavour intensity.
Finish: Long finish. Sour cherry.
The wine has big tannins for its age. It may be slightly out of balance because of this, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyways. Delicious.
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8/2/2020 - janhupnie wrote: 89 Points
Great Bordeaux nose and taste but slightly fainted and somewhat transparent.
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4/19/2020 - lars1014 Likes this wine:
Dark color with just the faintest hint of bricking. Similar to other tasters, my bottle has remained very youthful. Iron and graphite minerality are the core of this wine. Tannins are abundant, but fine grained. A decade ahead for this wine if you wanted to wait, but a nice drink now. Drank over two days.
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3/24/2020 - jskuek Likes this wine: 90 Points
Colour: Dark Garnet, looks still young, doesn’t look like a 12yo wine
Nose: wooden box, earthy
Taste: delicious, ripe, cassis berry, strong hits of granites, leather, chocolate, balanced silky tannins. Med+ finishing ...
My last bottle from from 12-btl case
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9/23/2019 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
What a pleasant surprise, particularly after the previous bottle. Real improvement. Typical Bordeaux nose of earth, moss and olives contrasts with a fruit filled palate of blackberry, blueberry and cassis. Yes, there are some afternotes of granite, leather and tobacco but fruit really predominates. Tannins are integrated but a strong backbone remains. Full bodied with a medium finish. In a great place right now.
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11/29/2018 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
The quality here is impressive and it’s literally in a great spot. Ripe, earthy, mature sous bois and green olive aromas beautifully contrast bright, juicy, and fresh dark fruit and cassis flavors. Classically styled, nicely integrated, and textbook tannin and structure. Shows traces of bottle age oxidation and continued to develop as the night wore on. The perfect foil for a cold, rainy Southern California evening.
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11/22/2018 - Oenecnist wrote:
Paperwork not handy. Bought 4b of this 5-7 years ago, probably at/under 25/b (Wine Lib? Trader Joe's?). Decanted with normal sediment for this age. Dark purple color; big nose, lots of Bdx perfume after 2 hours--mature red fruit, subtle (FR) oak; very good mouthfeel, well integrated flavors; good finish. Better than any Ch Montrose (grand vin) that I tasted years ago (all non-super vintages from the 80s). Shared over turkey dinner with some knowledgeable Cali table mates--EU-trained wine marketing prof, local boutique wine bar(s) owner--who gravitated toward this and another Bdx ('04 Ch Duhart-Milon) relative to some local gems. I found it delicious and satisfying. Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: I've stopped giving scores on a "100-point scale" as I've become less convinced that they can be meaningful to others. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. I considered this outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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9/17/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Bright, juicy, fresh fruits on the front end with the kick of green olives, cassis and tannins on the back end. Classic in style, everything has come together, so you can drink this now.
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3/12/2018 - jskuek wrote: 89 Points
Strong tannin, even after 2 hours decant. Not much fruits, some minerals, herbaceous / green and oak. med finishing. Have tried better bottles, probably off or sleeping ... revisit after 2 years ....
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11/22/2017 - wconnolly wrote: 86 Points
OK for a second label. Medium ruby color. No signs of age in color. Slightly floral nose with some mossy notes. A bit thin on the palate. Nice fruit with an earthy, forest floor and a medium tobacco finish. Expected a bit more from Montrose.
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4/11/2017 - oboeurenius wrote: 89 Points
Palate of wood, smoke, forest, pepper and black berries in the nose. Taste of cherries, vanilla and an aftertaste of marsipan. Balanced and smooth tannins. On the negative side, a tad plump.
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2/3/2017 - mpsocal Likes this wine: 89 Points
Similar to my last note. Thin at first but after 90 minutes it started to open up. It turned very tannic with hints of blueberry. This one has a ton of life left. It keeps getting better the longer it's open.
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1/25/2017 - jskuek wrote: 90 Points
Very tight despite 1 hour decant, fruits are slowly emerged after 2 hours, probably need another 3-5 years to shine, but it didn't perform tonight.
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8/19/2016 - jskuek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful after 2 hours opened in the bottle ... Lots of graphite and minerals. Very long finishing.
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12/18/2015 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 90 Points
2 hour decant. Inky crimson color. Cassis, black fruit, leather and green pepper on the nose; black cherry, cedar, mint and tobacco on the palate. Silky and surprisingly fruity on the palate. A little hollow in the middle, but nice tannic backbone and grip on the finish. Definitely Left Bank. Good value.
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9/27/2015 - Thomas D. wrote: 84 Points
From a bordeaux blind probe, open 24-48 hours.
N. Elegant, lacks a bit complexity, blackberry marmelade, choclate nuances, green notes
T. A bit one-dimensional, tannin, blueberry, green pepper, wood-soil
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9/26/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 88 Points
Plummy nose, Ned body, elegant, still tight and some acid. But drinking well, obvious tannic. Med finishing. Early, keep 2-3 years.
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9/4/2015 - Phenol73 Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Decent vintage, superb house, yet a bland wine utterly devoid of character and drinking pleasure. Despite its "second wine" status, this should come from a pedigree and a vintage which should offer some elegance, some sense of its breeding. Instead, La Dame has an insipid, boring character, not uncommonly found stuffing the cheap seats in supermarket shelves and giving pleasure to those on tacky hen parties. It is not a "bad" wine, but it is also not something you should pay more than £10 for. For Montrose to put its name on this garble, and for it to be sold in serious wine merchants at a price where one can enjoy decent Burgundy or Brunello or Barolo or Priorat, is an exercise in Bordelaise pompousity. I poured it down the drain.
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7/9/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Toasted cigar box, earthy, coffee, hits of vanilla and not too oaky. Very balance and good time to drink.
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2/12/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 90 Points
First day is light and tannic. Second day opens ip nicely, stronger med+ body, long finish. Earthy, grassy, minerals and graphite. Need more time.
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11/1/2014 - jskuek wrote: 88 Points
A bit closed down compare to early this year, med body, finish med. Coffee, dark fruits, beautiful nose.
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12/20/2013 - mpsocal Likes this wine: 87 Points
This is an enjoyable wine. Give it about 30-60 minutes to open up. It was a little tight and thin at first, but it opened up nicely. It's tannic with subtle flavors for blackberry.
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7/3/2013 - Kriz wrote: 89 Points
Château Montrose / Tronquoy-Lalande tasting; 7/2/2013-7/3/2013 (Ciel Bleu (**) Amsterdam Okura hotel): Perfumed on the nose. Fruity palate, good acidity, fresh. Nice wine which pairs well with food.
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4/19/2013 - RayOB wrote: 88 Points
Drank at Davy's
A good effort for their second wine. A little bit thin on the finish but good value.
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10/30/2012 - farinas Does not like this wine: 86 Points
med full red color with some glisten and nose of damp forest floor and shrubs with currant, entry is interesting with strong acid, tannins and a pinch of salt a la Montrose, body is diluted and herbal with an overly dry and difficult finish (ABC). I have yet to fully enjoy a Second wine, I find them diluted and a bit offensive. Don't know if it's the use of younger vines but much better enjoyment is had by just buying the first wine of a lesser pedigree
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8/11/2012 - Jazza323 wrote: 86 Points
Lovely drop. Vietnamese food and the wine worked with the food very well. Smooth rich and a wine full of a nice strong flavor!
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4/10/2012 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Soft nose; Great structure; Bright; Great build
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9/24/2011 - eoinhharkins wrote: 83 Points
Expectations were admittedly very high given how much I like the 1st wine of this chateau, unfortunately however, I found this to be very ordinary, showed little complexity, the fruit was barely there ,with little on the mid palate and a quick finish
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