Dark red color without a hint of bricking. Still has a rather tannic structure with notable acidity left. Aromatic (mostly animalistic notes (elephant?)) and medium aftertaste. A nice surprise after the 1985 regular Montus fail.
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Surprise find in the cellar and a pleasant surprise on the nose/palate. Reminds me of a good cote rotie. Animalistic, powerful wine. Blood and barnyard. Not for everyone. I really like it. Nowhere near its decline. Kind of like Musar. Will go for another decade. Mmm
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Sometime after my prior note back in 2016, I found 2 more of these at a good price at auction. So it seemed time to open one again. I poured the bottle into a decanter, but I only gave it about 15 minutes before I was sipping the first glass with some nibbles while cooking dinner (in other words, more or less pop n pour.) Even so, unlike previous bottles I'd tried ages ago, which only seemed to emerge on the final drops of the final glass - this one is drinking beautifully right from the start. Still shows some fruit, along with some layers and depth through the mid palate, with just a hint of tannins still showing on the back end. Just so wonderfully tasty ... this is the kind of enjoyable experience with an older bottle that re-convinces you that your considerable investment in cellar infrastructure was worth it all over again. I'm thinking this is going to do really well with our mixed grill (bison steaks, lamb chops) but it's working fine all by itself beforehand. This seems in no danger of fading anytime soon, but I suspect I'll find occasion to consume my final bottle within the next year or so ...
My first Montus and one of the few Madirans I’ve tried. Still sports a dark core after 27 years. Smells much like an old school Bordeaux, with dust, leather, tar, stones, black pepper, forest floor, and a sweet wisp of violets. The palate is almost full bodied but bone-dry despite the extract. A very stony, basalt-like wine with ink, iron, iodine, and a refreshing tartness. Not much fruit, but drinks just fine in an austere gear. A charmingly rustic, drying finish, smoothed a little by time. 90-91 pts.
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Popped this gem open tonight for a try. At 27yrs old it still had solid tannic structure and power and is wonderfully delicious. First notes are earth, dirt, mushroom, peat. An hour in it showed stewed fruit, plum, licorice, tar, smoke all with a wonderful body and mouth feel. Slightly dry and long finish that hangs on the back and sides of your tongue. It’s like savoring a rich, dense, chocolate desert. Beautiful wine.
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Still intensely coloured. Almost no bricking. Lovely nose, great intensity. Brooding red and black fruits, something a little feral. Brilliant on the palate with piercing red fruits up front broadening out as it crosses the palate. Plenty of acidity and the tannin is still there but dressed with the fruit and nicely in balance. Finishes very strongly and has a decent length. This was the last of these in my cellar, really good now and I think will hold happily for another 5 years if well stored.
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No detailed notes. Took to dinner at a local restaurant. Virtually opaque red-purple color. The nose took a while to unfurl but when it did you could smell it half a room away. The aroma was classic, with loads of tar, black currants, and iron. On the palate the wine was still a bit reticent, even after 2 hours or so and, though quite nicely balanced and mouthfilling, lacked complexity and richness to match the nose. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
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Drinking really nice right now. Still some nice red berries mixing with lots of other aromas like tobacco leafs, black truffles and some lemon zest. The palate is still demanding, with crunchy tannins, even after 26 years. Glad I auctioned a case 10 years ago (bought the normal one, got the prestige for less than 25 € a bottle ;-)). It shows that a lot of people give up on those Madirans, they need a lot of time and reward at the end.
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Super inky in appearance. Rotting leaves at first, some cassis, very inky - medicinal. The nose resolves some w air in glass but I didn't get a note yet. Palate is great - spice cake and black fruits and ink and. Super savory, and spices and stones, leather. Monster size but holds it together. Long dark inky and spicy finish. Nose - 4?/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15?/20.
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From small bottles from Seth. I'm somewhat embarrassed I didn't cotton onto this right away as it's a wine I've had several times before. Very dark, that was a big clue. This bottle showed very strangely at first with a stern steely and dishwatery nose, and a strong funky medicinal note / industrial cleaner, just odd and somewhat offputting. But soon the doors blew open to show deeply brewed dark cherry, flamboyant spices, earthy moss. Just a banging great nose. I got a weird read on the palate at first and the wine came across as rather fresh and graceful, but with air the hulking tannic shoulder made itself clear on the heavy and savory finish. What a great showing for this wine.
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Dark garnet, brighter towards the rim. Needed an hour to come together. This is beautiful and already tertiary, but really fresh and with some grippy tannins. If well stored this wine will for sure hold another ten to twenty years. Give it some air if you want to enjoy it now. Reminds of a mature médoc.
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Not much has changed since my last note on 6/10/2018. I am amazed at how well this wine is holding up; the color is still vibrant, with a ruby rim, rather than garnet or brick (after 25 years!). Purchased for $40 in 1998.
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I really don’t know when I bought these bottles. You can read my son’s review from 2019. Probably in the 90’s. Had some on a family trip in the 80’s in SW France and could see the promise but the wines were so rough they were put down for two decades. Definitely worth the wait. Opened and left for about an hour. No evidence of oxidation. Deep bright purple color. Moderate amount of haze from suspended sediment. The nose is spectacular with dark fruit of cassis and dark undertones of bramble. The nose is wonderful with high tones of dark fruit and secondary tones. Enough to make the wine a 90+ on its own. In the mouth the acid and tannins so typical of the scarifying profile of the young wines are gone and a beautiful balance of soft tannins and acid to be the base for the dark fruit and complex earth tones. The finish persists forever.. This wine is the perfect example of how well a wine can age and how you can be rewarded by waiting.
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Couleur soutenue, étonnamment sombre pour un vin de cet âge, herbes sèchées, épices, poivron, bouche fruitée, prune, tanins un peu secs, très belle longueur, un magnifique vin extraordinairement jeune malgré ses 25 ans...
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From double-magnum. Nicely evolved around the rim, still dark core. Very open and aromatic on the nose. Dark fruit, spices, earth, crushed stones. On the palate great acidity, good fruit, Slightly drying on the palate, still well balanced and very long. Lovely. No rush drinking up. 91-93
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This is great after 2-3 hours decant. Almost black, very fleshy, Tannat aromas. Drank it as a meal :), but should be accompanied by the best game or beef. Next day:
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92,5 Il est à son apogée ! Mature, puissant, équilibré, vivant, frais, franc. Accompagne parfaitement une côte de bœuf. J'essuie mes quelques larmes car c'était ma dernière bouteille...
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Slow-ox’ed for about an hour; so killer right now. Nose is obviously mature with cocoa notes and dried leaves and forest floor with hints of gravel and grape leaves. Palate has a hint of red raspberry and a little bit of strawberry with more gravel and smooth, worn leather. Definitely plenty of life left; acidity is still high, tannins are in a great place but still present. Beautiful with a medium-rare ribeye.
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Verticale du Château Montus cuvée Prestige: Sans doute mon vin préféré de Brumont. Cette dernière bouteille de ma cave parait nettement évoluée, oxydative. Quel dommage :(
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Gave this to Zak and he opened it while we had BBQ. He decanted it and when poured about an hour later it was dead on - dark fruits: some Cassis, blackberry, along with some funky stuff, some game, some tobacco, earth, horse. All of these combine into a really nice perfume cloak. The palate is just where you'd want it - all those flavors, resolved mouthfeel that's smooth and silky but also with some decent tannins in the background for structure. The finish is savory and dark w some funk. After about 1.5 hours more this dried out and kind of fell apart, but it was excellent in the sweet spot. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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Dark red with rusty edges. In the nose, this is beautiful, only slight notes of age, quite fresh still, iron and rust, quite earthy, very floral, not much fruit, wild and elegant at the same time. In the mouth, this is quite structured, but not hard, rather mild acidity, suave tannins, a tiny bit of bite in the finish. A little bit like 1995 Bordeaux in structure, but different in the aromatics.
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Dark red with rusty edges. In the nose, this is beautiful, only slight notes of age, quite fresh still, iron and rust, quite earthy, very floral, not much fruit, wild and elegant at the same time. In the mouth, this is quite structured, but not hard, rather mild acidity, suave tannins, a tiny bit of bite in the finish. A little bit like 1995 Bordeaux in structure, but different in the aromatics.
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Nice savage, wild wine; displays leather, iodine, earth, plums and baking spices. Lots of secondary notes here but the tannins, while accessible, are still quite noticeable. Reminds me a bit of a Bandol.
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After two hour decant this is terrific. Bordeaux like nose. Big structured, mouth staining wine with flavors of black and red fruit, kirsch, tobacco, peat. Slightly rustic tannins. Long complex finish. Feels like this still has quite a ways to go before it is fully mature.
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Ouvert 2 heures avant, puis mis en carafe juste avant de le servir pour accompagner une côte de bœuf. Vin très équilibré alliant la force du tannat et la souplesse acquise avec l'âge.
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Wow that is a lot of barn upon opening. Lets see what the decant does. 4-5 hours decant and barn is gone, as are acids that appeared after 1 hour. Smooth now, but not very complex.
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I opened and decanted the bottle from which I took a glass by coravin over 2 years ago. It still showed tannic and young but with fantastic depth of dark fruit, complexity and concentration. As long as the fruit survives as the tannin eventually integrates, this is a great wine, but for me, it is still in need of a few years, or perhaps a long decant.
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Nose of earth and cassis. On the palate red and purple plums, tobacco, smoke, cedar and a hint of baking spice. Almost too much to handle without food, but magical with rack of lamb.
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Black fruit and leather, showing more monolithic than the 1996, it could use a little more acid. It opens up dramatically in the glass, showing more acid and complexity, it still has a bright future ahead of it but there is no shame in drinking it now.
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Dieser Wein entwickelt eine Tiefe, die in dieser Preisklasse ungewöhnlich ist. Mir fehlt leider der Vergleich, um sagen zu können, ob der Wein im richtigen Moment geöffnet wurde, aber er scheint mir gut runtergeschliffen zu sein. Schöne Länge, intensive Gewürznoten. Dennoch : Tannat ist nicht wirklich meine Rebsorte.
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Ouvert 6h avant, je n'ai pas regretté d'avoir fait cela. Il a vraiment besoin de "respirer" pour que sa force soit domptée et prenne l'apparence de la grâce.
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Decanted 5+ hours and it needs it! Deep dark red. Smells of blackberry, earth and animal. Tastes the same, with some tobacco on the finish. Still tannins, although finally softening. Excellent now, but will be better in 5-10 years.
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Consumed over two days. Ink, smoke, tar, licorice on the nose, with a hint of cigar ash. Austere, powerful palate - not at all over-extracted, with alcohol at a sensible 12.5 per cent - but puissant nonetheless, with notes of dried berries, leather, goudron, and a vivacious, stony minerality. Really excellent and drinking well now. A testament to the depth, intensity, and complexity of good Madiran.
Needs food - preferably beef, game, or hard cheese.
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Sourced from Flickingers and consumed with a whole grilled chicken after a one-hour decant, the wine was very nice. Almost pitch black in colour. Tannic and a bit rustic. A lot of cassis. Seems currently near the beginning of a very long drinking window. If blind, I might have guessed St. Estephe? My only history with this wine is the 1990, which I liked even more!
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Nase: Schwarze Oliven, Kräuter, Garrigue, komplex, Waldfrüchte, Brombeeren, Himbeeren, dunkel aber nicht negativ, sondern fruchtig jung und mächtig, ein bisschen Waldboden aber mit positiver Ausstrahlung. Der Wein riecht nach Veilchen. Habe selten ein so tolles Bouquet gerochen. Großartig! Enorme Frische und Feinheit!
Geschmack: Großartig! Frische, Säure, ein junger Wein, der sich zu öffnen beginnt, fein, dennoch konzentriert und komplex, dunkle Frucht, duftig aber auch sehr lang mit einer tollen Säure und länge, und immer wieder diese Frische. Ich habe selten einen solch komlexen bzw. leckeren Wein getrunken. Große Klasse! Ich erinnere mich, dass ich eine Flasche aus dem selben Lot vor ca. knapp 10 Jahren in Erlangen getrunken habe. Es war ein Tannin Monster. Viele Gerbsoffe und unendlich lang. Dass dieser Wein einmal eine solche Größe, Feinheit und Fruchtigkeit zeigen würde, hätte ich nicht erwartet. Tolles Tannin und Terroirwürze im Abgang! Bravo. Groß! Gegrilltes Fleisch. Garrigue. Einem Bordeaux nicht unähnlich nur ungestümer wilder rauer. Keine Anzeichen von Bret. 93-95 Punkte. Höhepunkt: 2016-2021+. Trinken 2025+
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Extraordinary dense colour for the age, deep purple with barely a hint of change at the rim. Great legs. Almost a claret nose, gentle not fierce. Lovely classy palate with red and black fruits, cedar, a touch of good oak (?) and still plenty of tannin. The wine has good length too. This is like a really good aged Claret, I love it. Second bottle on 20/8/2018. Still showing well. Wondered if there was a hint of Brett on this one?
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Hmmm, this one was a bit of a chameleon. On opening it last night, I poured a glass, and let that air for awhile (while vacu-vin-ing the rest of the bottle) ... and it was decent, but not inspiring with soft/muted fruits, soft tannins, and no real secondary notes that I could perceive.
Digging into the rest of the bottle tonight, it showed a bit better in moments while sipping before dinner, seemed to perk up a bit with our grilled strip steak ... and now is finally coming alive on the last glass after dinner. Tannins seem a bit firmer, black/blue fruits are now emerging, and it's put on a bit of depth. It's not the stunner that the last bottle was 3-4 years back, and yet, it's getting better and better as it sits in the glass. Was I perhaps a bit too impatient with this final bottle ...??
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Souper Cassoulet chez les Gauthier: Nez classique très bordelais, avec cependant des notes de fruit noir qui évoquent davantage le Madiran. Flash soudain: c'est sans doute le Montus Prestige 1995, avec ce profil singulier...bingo! Superbe équilibre, rond, dense et assez fin, savoureux et parfaitement maitrisé, très bordelais dans le style. Un grand succès du domaine, irréprochable. 92 pts
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Much more youthful in profile than expected, persistent red fruits, only hints of evolution. Very light and elegant despite firm structure. A bit of sharp heat detracts, but this was quite nice with a good steak. I would drink now. Air did not improve this bottle. 12.5% abv
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Fantastic after 2 hour decant. Big body, mouth full, thick tannines but not hard, needed the steak with wine sauce. Mature now. But may last for 10 or more years (?).
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This effort has certainly past its prime drinking window, maybe not with a lot of time but with a year or so. Subdued fruit and and a very persistent oak are the main characteristics tonight, especially after some air. Tannins are nicely integrated and certainly appear balanced. If opening a bottle, do not decant and be very careful with exposure to air.
(Please note that it is very difficult to tell about drinking windows for older wines as they are affected by cellaring. I am not at all sure this bottle has been cellared properly and it might hence not be representative for the wine as such.)
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This wine showed clear signs of age in its color and the faded fruit. There were nice secondary notes such as leather, undergrowth and dried mushrooms, but the mouth was not balanced. The tannins were still too tough and with sharp edges, and I don't think this will change.
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I last checked in with this in '08. At that time I thought it needed a few years still to evolve. Now the tannins are well-integrated, but I think it may be a bit over the hill. There is rusticity of course (sort of a dirty Tempier), and muted masculine dark fruits and leather, but it could have used a bit more. It is definitely a thinking man's (or woman's) wine but this one made me think a bit too hard. Great love for Montus Madirans but this one isn't showing great at the moment.
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Really bretty, in a fairly unpleasant way. Did not blow off over a few hours. Ruined a complex and interesting wine. Not kick fruit poking through though.
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mine, so no guesses. 3 hours in decanter did this a lot of good. Powerful cassis fruit, leather, tobacco, good length. Tannins present but not intrusive.A-
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Decanted 3 hours. Open nose, a bit dirty compared to Pichon Baron 1995 tasted alongside it (blind), but nevertheless held its own place. Still very tannic and rustic.
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Nez puissant et magnifique sur l'animal, le cuir, le goudron, le cassis, et des notes d'évolution prononcées. Bouche fondue et ronde, mais les tanins assèchent encore un peu en finale. Le fruit n'est pas absent mais clairement en retrait. Petit creux en milieux de bouche. Très beau vin sur son plateau, à boire d'ici 3-5 ans.
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oh what a nice wine! keep the bottle open 2 or 3 hours before drinking. kept the youth, but is quiet drinkable nowadays. really like the nose: earthy and a touch of animality, reminds at a horsestable but in a positive sense, good mouthfeeling, touch of moss and forest, dark fruits, a long finish, complex and bordelais. one of the best montus cuvee prestige i've ever tasted!!
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I think this wine still can evolve for 10-15yrs. Tannin & fruit intensity are still rich. We open it 4 hrs earlier, the first nose from this wine is old wood & farmyard nose, and at the back is tea leaf, and then dark fruits. The palate is really good, you cannot feel any alcohol at all, it still have fruits of blueberry, blackcurrant, hint of liquorice, graphite & spicies balanced with silky tannins & certain acidity. The length is medium+. An interesting finding was, at the end of meal, we tasted camerbert with this wine, the finish became sweet and length was extended.
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decanted for 90 min - but it was not enough. (over 5 hours required) dark black and powerful. very tannic. savoury flavours. rustic. great with heavy dishes.
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Un autre vin bu en décembre et pour lequel je n'ai pas fait de CR! De mémoire, jeunesse insolente, pas tuable le tannat! Bref un vin jeune mais ayant perdu son excès de jeunesse. Il faut être patient avec ce vin! CR de mon ami Francis ci-dessous. "La robe de ce vin, pratiquement opaque, ne laisse aucunement transparaître l’approche de ses vingt ans. C’est plutôt au nez et en bouche qu’on devine qu’il a atteint son plateau, qu’il ne semble pas près de quitter! L’ensemble est très harmonieux et complexe, sur les fruits noirs, le tabac et le cuir. La texture est caressante, les tanins sont enrobés. Mariage classique et très réussi avec le cassoulet maison. Je crois que j’encaverai quelques Madiran prochainement."
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Almost black colour. Very dense nose, black fruit, more cigar box, tar, chocolate, leather, see other recent tasting notes (not mine) for more details. Taste not fully developed. Tannines not entirely integrated. Very demanding great wine at this moment. Lets combine with food and see. Did not improve with 1 day decanted, in fact desintegrated a bit.
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This has developed since last tasting. Room-filling cigar-box aromas, tar, cassis, and hints of damp earth and Asian spices. Finishes with absurdly grippy, chalky tannins which keep it from scoring higher. Seems to be still short of its peak, but tannins may never fully resolve.
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Mature and beautiful bouquet with still cassis, smoke, good oak and ink. Very juicy dark fruits on the palate with soft and creamy tannin. Good concentration. Ready now and certainly for the next 5 years, but without tasting it in the meantime I wouldn't wait until 2028 as the drinking window indicates at this moment.
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Smells just like a left bank Bordeaux with dark fruit and tobacco. Tannic. Tastes younger than it is. A little heavy. Needs time but I don't sense too much tertiary complexity in the works.
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Still a baby, this wine is starting to evolve a tiny bit now. Nice cedar, cacoa, cloves. Stuffing and balance. A great promise for enormous complexity. A huge businesscard for the best that this appelation has to offer. Visit again in four years. 18,5+/20
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I opened my 1st bottle at the end of my 12/12/10 duck dinner. It had an awesome bouquet of ripe black cherry, sage, spice, cedar, tobacco and vanilla. The palate followed with flavors of burnt toast, plum, black cherry, spice and vanilla. It was tannic and far too astringent.
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dark color, strong quality aroma that reminds a classic Bordeaux; very tannic, coarse, not fine, still requires further breezing after 6 hours from opening and decanting.
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Decanted one hour. Nose of black fruit, with vanilla, menthol, eucalyptus and gravel. Lots of rich dark fruit on the palate, with cedar, tobacco, black pepper and just a hint of horseradish. Very tannic, but starting to come into its own. I love this wine, especially at the price.
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Popped and poured at a restaurant. This still had a slight tannic bite, but was drinking beautifully. Plenty of that Montus funk (which I love) on the nose, with lots of spice and dark red fruit. Medium to full-bodied, with balanced acidity. While some of the tannins have resolved, the fruit remains vibrant, and the wine is beginning to show some maturity. No need to rush: this should continue to drink well for some time.
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Saddle leather, blackberries, black pepper, and earth. This is really still quite young and tight compared to the '96 Prestige, and my guess is it will open up after a few more years and merit a higher score.
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not decanted. rather austere, but it had some decent secondary characteristics. a wine i was unfamiliar with in name and experience. some tasters felt it was mildly oxidized. black tea and spice + ground pepper, as if it had some mourvedre in it. odd wine.
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Decanted for over 3 hours, then returned to bottle and cooled back to 17c. The aroma was great all the 5 hours till the bottles was consumed. The taste after 3 hours was a bit tannic and not open enough yet. Only at the 5th hour the wine became round and 'friendly', though after 4 hours, while it was licking strong, it was very enjoyable. Great wine.
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After 3h decanting and 1.5h drinking, this wine is still quite closed. The wine is unfiltered so you can smell the horse stuff, and it structure is very good. Smoother tannins after decanting and has nice acidity and some dark and some red fruit comes out, too, but I hope much more comes in the years to come. BTW, this wine goes great with duck I had along.
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Dark red colour. Intense and deep perfume of black berries, peperry notes, leather and humus. The nose is complex with good purity. The wine is still powerfull with beautiful tannins, balance and long. Still young with great balance between fruits and evolved notes. Really nice tannins. Bottle decantered 3 hours.
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Similar impressions to previous bottle. Decanted for 3 hours. This is drinking so great and has so much complexity. A little more menthol on the nos ethan the previous bottle. While tasting this wine blind, it was interesting to see everybody calling for a Bordeaux...Says a lot !
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Decanted for two hours. Blackish purple in the glass, this looks like a Napa valley barrel tasting. Nose of plums, pluots, menthol and blackberry tart. Tannic, sappy and primary on the palate, with black cherry, tobacco and cedar. This wine does not taste 14 years old, and could use some more bottle age. Should be pretty impressive in a few more years, especially for the price. Delicious actually, but it feels like my taste buds just got mugged.
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Regular dinner group (@ PvD): Lead pencil and a lot of cherries in the bouquet. Concentrated and soft in the mouth. In the aftertaste there is still a lot of sticky tannin.
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The first thing you notice in the color of this wine is how young it still is: very dark core and still no signs of maturation on the rim. Great nose with a lot of cedar, very wild with game and fur notes, some herbs and tobacco. Full body, tannins are a little dry but it is getting better with air and of course food (boudin noir). Balanced and complex, it is a wonderful bold and animal wine but with also some good, clean fruits (mainly dark) with a very long smoky finish. Glad to have 5 more to see how they evolve. Drink now to 2020.
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Chez Appollo. À l'ouverture je me demandais si cette bouteille n'avait pas vu de meilleurs jours, la finale me paraissant un peu brouillonne et asséchante. Mais le vin s'est épanoui avec le gibier, se révélant un spectaculaire accompagnement sur le cerf et encore davantage le canard.
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A big brooding powerful wine. Even after 4 hours this wine did not seem to have truly opened up. Smooth tannins, closed dark fruits, good lenth. Slightly disappointed by the wine after so much expectation.
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Bordeaux 94/95 @ Peter V. (Netherlands): Incredibly impressive wine. Very big boned and energetic. Carressing and seductive black fruit and asian spice, school paint, black olives. Reserved, dark and impending like a thunderstorm. Okay, it might be a tad licquor-like, porty maybe, and it's got huge tannines.... But the texture and complexity of this wine are truly addictive. A true fist in a velvet glove. Glorious. 18.5/20
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This was a tough wine to get a handle on. Closed at the open, I poured half into a split and put it in the fridge. After a hour or so, it opened quite a bit, with a nice rustic quality, good grip, black fruits but a mit muted, thin in the middle and herbal on the finish. Next day, it initially showed this way - there was a lightness to it that worked against it. Within a couple more hours though, the wine had gained weight, lost some of the herbal notes, the fruit had sweetened, and the tanins became really lovely in the mouth. I only had one bottle of this, and would like to give it a few more chances. The question I had is whether and how this will improve. Yes, it gained overall with air. And it came across as quite primary, including in terms of color. But I just didn't have a sense that if I let it sit there for another five years, the profile overall would gain that much. Just a feeling.
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1/17/2024 - RKatzDO wrote:
Sadly a touch corked.. Barely noticeable, if not for the lack of any fruit.
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11/5/2023 - G.O. wrote: 92 Points
Dark red color without a hint of bricking. Still has a rather tannic structure with notable acidity left. Aromatic (mostly animalistic notes (elephant?)) and medium aftertaste. A nice surprise after the 1985 regular Montus fail.
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11/1/2023 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprise find in the cellar and a pleasant surprise on the nose/palate. Reminds me of a good cote rotie. Animalistic, powerful wine. Blood and barnyard. Not for everyone. I really like it. Nowhere near its decline. Kind of like Musar. Will go for another decade. Mmm
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10/20/2023 - Adventr.us wrote: 93 Points
Sometime after my prior note back in 2016, I found 2 more of these at a good price at auction. So it seemed time to open one again. I poured the bottle into a decanter, but I only gave it about 15 minutes before I was sipping the first glass with some nibbles while cooking dinner (in other words, more or less pop n pour.) Even so, unlike previous bottles I'd tried ages ago, which only seemed to emerge on the final drops of the final glass - this one is drinking beautifully right from the start. Still shows some fruit, along with some layers and depth through the mid palate, with just a hint of tannins still showing on the back end. Just so wonderfully tasty ... this is the kind of enjoyable experience with an older bottle that re-convinces you that your considerable investment in cellar infrastructure was worth it all over again. I'm thinking this is going to do really well with our mixed grill (bison steaks, lamb chops) but it's working fine all by itself beforehand. This seems in no danger of fading anytime soon, but I suspect I'll find occasion to consume my final bottle within the next year or so ...
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1/12/2023 - blanquito wrote:
My first Montus and one of the few Madirans I’ve tried. Still sports a dark core after 27 years. Smells much like an old school Bordeaux, with dust, leather, tar, stones, black pepper, forest floor, and a sweet wisp of violets. The palate is almost full bodied but bone-dry despite the extract. A very stony, basalt-like wine with ink, iron, iodine, and a refreshing tartness. Not much fruit, but drinks just fine in an austere gear. A charmingly rustic, drying finish, smoothed a little by time. 90-91 pts.
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4/22/2022 - The Wine Monkeys Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped this gem open tonight for a try. At 27yrs old it still had solid tannic structure and power and is wonderfully delicious. First notes are earth, dirt, mushroom, peat. An hour in it showed stewed fruit, plum, licorice, tar, smoke all with a wonderful body and mouth feel. Slightly dry and long finish that hangs on the back and sides of your tongue. It’s like savoring a rich, dense, chocolate desert. Beautiful wine.
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2/20/2022 - SoundinBetween Likes this wine:
No extensive notes but this was drinking very well today. Funky herbal nose, great acidity and fully mature but this seemed on a long plateau yet.
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1/22/2022 - hargy wrote: flawed
this was distinctly green and vegetal both on the nose and to taste - unusual in that I have never seen this in wines from Ch Montus
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9/25/2021 - chrisdgsmith@hotmail.co.uk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still intensely coloured. Almost no bricking.
Lovely nose, great intensity. Brooding red and black fruits, something a little feral.
Brilliant on the palate with piercing red fruits up front broadening out as it crosses the palate. Plenty of acidity and the tannin is still there but dressed with the fruit and nicely in balance.
Finishes very strongly and has a decent length.
This was the last of these in my cellar, really good now and I think will hold happily for another 5 years if well stored.
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7/15/2021 - tomandlu wrote: 90 Points
No detailed notes. Took to dinner at a local restaurant. Virtually opaque red-purple color. The nose took a while to unfurl but when it did you could smell it half a room away. The aroma was classic, with loads of tar, black currants, and iron. On the palate the wine was still a bit reticent, even after 2 hours or so and, though quite nicely balanced and mouthfilling, lacked complexity and richness to match the nose. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
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4/29/2021 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really nice right now.
Still some nice red berries mixing with lots of other aromas like tobacco leafs, black truffles and some lemon zest. The palate is still demanding, with crunchy tannins, even after 26 years.
Glad I auctioned a case 10 years ago (bought the normal one, got the prestige for less than 25 € a bottle ;-)). It shows that a lot of people give up on those Madirans, they need a lot of time and reward at the end.
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3/7/2021 - hargy Likes this wine: 91 Points
quite a gentle nose but a seamless wine, mature with the tannins fully resolved - delicious
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3/2/2021 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Super inky in appearance. Rotting leaves at first, some cassis, very inky - medicinal. The nose resolves some w air in glass but I didn't get a note yet. Palate is great - spice cake and black fruits and ink and. Super savory, and spices and stones, leather. Monster size but holds it together. Long dark inky and spicy finish. Nose - 4?/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15?/20.
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3/1/2021 - Chomsky wrote:
From small bottles from Seth. I'm somewhat embarrassed I didn't cotton onto this right away as it's a wine I've had several times before. Very dark, that was a big clue. This bottle showed very strangely at first with a stern steely and dishwatery nose, and a strong funky medicinal note / industrial cleaner, just odd and somewhat offputting. But soon the doors blew open to show deeply brewed dark cherry, flamboyant spices, earthy moss. Just a banging great nose. I got a weird read on the palate at first and the wine came across as rather fresh and graceful, but with air the hulking tannic shoulder made itself clear on the heavy and savory finish. What a great showing for this wine.
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1/5/2021 - afot Likes this wine:
Dark garnet, brighter towards the rim. Needed an hour to come together. This is beautiful and already tertiary, but really fresh and with some grippy tannins. If well stored this wine will for sure hold another ten to twenty years. Give it some air if you want to enjoy it now. Reminds of a mature médoc.
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10/30/2020 - mdefreitas wrote:
Not much has changed since my last note on 6/10/2018. I am amazed at how well this wine is holding up; the color is still vibrant, with a ruby rim, rather than garnet or brick (after 25 years!). Purchased for $40 in 1998.
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9/24/2020 - MJR21401 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I really don’t know when I bought these bottles. You can read my son’s review from 2019. Probably in the 90’s. Had some on a family trip in the 80’s in SW France and could see the promise but the wines were so rough they were put down for two decades. Definitely worth the wait. Opened and left for about an hour. No evidence of oxidation. Deep bright purple color. Moderate amount of haze from suspended sediment. The nose is spectacular with dark fruit of cassis and dark undertones of bramble.
The nose is wonderful with high tones of dark fruit and secondary tones. Enough to make the wine a 90+ on its own. In the mouth the acid and tannins so typical of the scarifying profile of the young wines are gone and a beautiful balance of soft tannins and acid to be the base for the dark fruit and complex earth tones. The finish persists forever.. This wine is the perfect example of how well a wine can age and how you can be rewarded by waiting.
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8/15/2020 - Dionysos 1920 wrote: 95 Points
Couleur soutenue, étonnamment sombre pour un vin de cet âge, herbes sèchées, épices, poivron, bouche fruitée, prune, tanins un peu secs, très belle longueur, un magnifique vin extraordinairement jeune malgré ses 25 ans...
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3/14/2020 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
From double-magnum. Nicely evolved around the rim, still dark core. Very open and aromatic on the nose. Dark fruit, spices, earth, crushed stones. On the palate great acidity, good fruit, Slightly drying on the palate, still well balanced and very long. Lovely. No rush drinking up. 91-93
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2/15/2020 - PeterMole wrote:
This is great after 2-3 hours decant. Almost black, very fleshy, Tannat aromas. Drank it as a meal :), but should be accompanied by the best game or beef. Next day:
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1/3/2020 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 93 Points
92,5
Il est à son apogée ! Mature, puissant, équilibré, vivant, frais, franc. Accompagne parfaitement une côte de bœuf.
J'essuie mes quelques larmes car c'était ma dernière bouteille...
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12/13/2019 - mattym19 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow-ox’ed for about an hour; so killer right now. Nose is obviously mature with cocoa notes and dried leaves and forest floor with hints of gravel and grape leaves. Palate has a hint of red raspberry and a little bit of strawberry with more gravel and smooth, worn leather. Definitely plenty of life left; acidity is still high, tannins are in a great place but still present. Beautiful with a medium-rare ribeye.
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11/28/2019 - d'Artagnan wrote:
Verticale du Château Montus cuvée Prestige: Sans doute mon vin préféré de Brumont. Cette dernière bouteille de ma cave parait nettement évoluée, oxydative. Quel dommage :(
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6/7/2019 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gave this to Zak and he opened it while we had BBQ. He decanted it and when poured about an hour later it was dead on - dark fruits: some Cassis, blackberry, along with some funky stuff, some game, some tobacco, earth, horse. All of these combine into a really nice perfume cloak. The palate is just where you'd want it - all those flavors, resolved mouthfeel that's smooth and silky but also with some decent tannins in the background for structure. The finish is savory and dark w some funk. After about 1.5 hours more this dried out and kind of fell apart, but it was excellent in the sweet spot. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 16/20.
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5/10/2019 - Marcus Vin Rouge Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very developed and complex nose. The palate disappoints to dome degree - perhaps beyond peak.
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1/6/2019 - octopussy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red with rusty edges. In the nose, this is beautiful, only slight notes of age, quite fresh still, iron and rust, quite earthy, very floral, not much fruit, wild and elegant at the same time. In the mouth, this is quite structured, but not hard, rather mild acidity, suave tannins, a tiny bit of bite in the finish. A little bit like 1995 Bordeaux in structure, but different in the aromatics.
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12/22/2018 - octopussy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red with rusty edges. In the nose, this is beautiful, only slight notes of age, quite fresh still, iron and rust, quite earthy, very floral, not much fruit, wild and elegant at the same time. In the mouth, this is quite structured, but not hard, rather mild acidity, suave tannins, a tiny bit of bite in the finish. A little bit like 1995 Bordeaux in structure, but different in the aromatics.
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6/10/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Nice savage, wild wine; displays leather, iodine, earth, plums and baking spices. Lots of secondary notes here but the tannins, while accessible, are still quite noticeable. Reminds me a bit of a Bandol.
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4/5/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
After two hour decant this is terrific. Bordeaux like nose. Big structured, mouth staining wine with flavors of black and red fruit, kirsch, tobacco, peat. Slightly rustic tannins. Long complex finish. Feels like this still has quite a ways to go before it is fully mature.
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3/10/2018 - jmht wrote: 92 Points
Great nose of dark fruits and hint of rubber (in a good way), palate of dark fruits and faded tannins. I decanted 4 hours before serving.
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12/26/2017 - MAOC wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/14/2017 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ouvert 2 heures avant, puis mis en carafe juste avant de le servir pour accompagner une côte de bœuf. Vin très équilibré alliant la force du tannat et la souplesse acquise avec l'âge.
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4/27/2017 - PeterMole wrote:
Wow that is a lot of barn upon opening. Lets see what the decant does. 4-5 hours decant and barn is gone, as are acids that appeared after 1 hour. Smooth now, but not very complex.
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4/24/2017 - SimonS wrote: 96 Points
I opened and decanted the bottle from which I took a glass by coravin over 2 years ago. It still showed tannic and young but with fantastic depth of dark fruit, complexity and concentration. As long as the fruit survives as the tannin eventually integrates, this is a great wine, but for me, it is still in need of a few years, or perhaps a long decant.
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12/26/2016 - dankrems wrote: 91 Points
Nose of earth and cassis. On the palate red and purple plums, tobacco, smoke, cedar and a hint of baking spice. Almost too much to handle without food, but magical with rack of lamb.
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12/11/2016 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black fruit and leather, showing more monolithic than the 1996, it could use a little more acid. It opens up dramatically in the glass, showing more acid and complexity, it still has a bright future ahead of it but there is no shame in drinking it now.
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11/14/2016 - Christine Beevers wrote: 90 Points
really lovely wine, worth the investment
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9/24/2016 - Jansky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dieser Wein entwickelt eine Tiefe, die in dieser Preisklasse ungewöhnlich ist. Mir fehlt leider der Vergleich, um sagen zu können, ob der Wein im richtigen Moment geöffnet wurde, aber er scheint mir gut runtergeschliffen zu sein. Schöne Länge, intensive Gewürznoten. Dennoch : Tannat ist nicht wirklich meine Rebsorte.
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9/11/2016 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ouvert 6h avant, je n'ai pas regretté d'avoir fait cela. Il a vraiment besoin de "respirer" pour que sa force soit domptée et prenne l'apparence de la grâce.
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9/4/2016 - acidqueen wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 5+ hours and it needs it! Deep dark red. Smells of blackberry, earth and animal. Tastes the same, with some tobacco on the finish. Still tannins, although finally softening. Excellent now, but will be better in 5-10 years.
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8/11/2016 - TheNeuroticDobermann Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed over two days. Ink, smoke, tar, licorice on the nose, with a hint of cigar ash. Austere, powerful palate - not at all over-extracted, with alcohol at a sensible 12.5 per cent - but puissant nonetheless, with notes of dried berries, leather, goudron, and a vivacious, stony minerality. Really excellent and drinking well now. A testament to the depth, intensity, and complexity of good Madiran.
Needs food - preferably beef, game, or hard cheese.
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7/5/2016 - straight outta iowa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sourced from Flickingers and consumed with a whole grilled chicken after a one-hour decant, the wine was very nice. Almost pitch black in colour. Tannic and a bit rustic. A lot of cassis. Seems currently near the beginning of a very long drinking window. If blind, I might have guessed St. Estephe? My only history with this wine is the 1990, which I liked even more!
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6/12/2016 - Stefan75 wrote: 90 Points
better balance than last bottle 3 years ago, somehow reminded me of Leoville Barton 95, no need to wait longer but should hold for some more years
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6/1/2016 - Vinophil2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nase: Schwarze Oliven, Kräuter, Garrigue, komplex, Waldfrüchte, Brombeeren, Himbeeren, dunkel aber nicht negativ, sondern fruchtig jung und mächtig, ein bisschen Waldboden aber mit positiver Ausstrahlung. Der Wein riecht nach Veilchen. Habe selten ein so tolles Bouquet gerochen. Großartig! Enorme Frische und Feinheit!
Geschmack: Großartig! Frische, Säure, ein junger Wein, der sich zu öffnen beginnt, fein, dennoch konzentriert und komplex, dunkle Frucht, duftig aber auch sehr lang mit einer tollen Säure und länge, und immer wieder diese Frische. Ich habe selten einen solch komlexen bzw. leckeren Wein getrunken. Große Klasse!
Ich erinnere mich, dass ich eine Flasche aus dem selben Lot vor ca. knapp 10 Jahren in Erlangen getrunken habe. Es war ein Tannin Monster. Viele Gerbsoffe und unendlich lang.
Dass dieser Wein einmal eine solche Größe, Feinheit und Fruchtigkeit zeigen würde, hätte ich nicht erwartet. Tolles Tannin und Terroirwürze im Abgang! Bravo. Groß! Gegrilltes Fleisch. Garrigue. Einem Bordeaux nicht unähnlich nur ungestümer wilder rauer. Keine Anzeichen von Bret.
93-95 Punkte.
Höhepunkt: 2016-2021+. Trinken 2025+
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5/18/2016 - chrisdgsmith@hotmail.co.uk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Extraordinary dense colour for the age, deep purple with barely a hint of change at the rim. Great legs. Almost a claret nose, gentle not fierce. Lovely classy palate with red and black fruits, cedar, a touch of good oak (?) and still plenty of tannin. The wine has good length too. This is like a really good aged Claret, I love it.
Second bottle on 20/8/2018. Still showing well. Wondered if there was a hint of Brett on this one?
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3/20/2016 - Adventr.us wrote:
Hmmm, this one was a bit of a chameleon. On opening it last night, I poured a glass, and let that air for awhile (while vacu-vin-ing the rest of the bottle) ... and it was decent, but not inspiring with soft/muted fruits, soft tannins, and no real secondary notes that I could perceive.
Digging into the rest of the bottle tonight, it showed a bit better in moments while sipping before dinner, seemed to perk up a bit with our grilled strip steak ... and now is finally coming alive on the last glass after dinner. Tannins seem a bit firmer, black/blue fruits are now emerging, and it's put on a bit of depth. It's not the stunner that the last bottle was 3-4 years back, and yet, it's getting better and better as it sits in the glass. Was I perhaps a bit too impatient with this final bottle ...??
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2/13/2016 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Souper Cassoulet chez les Gauthier: Nez classique très bordelais, avec cependant des notes de fruit noir qui évoquent davantage le Madiran. Flash soudain: c'est sans doute le Montus Prestige 1995, avec ce profil singulier...bingo!
Superbe équilibre, rond, dense et assez fin, savoureux et parfaitement maitrisé, très bordelais dans le style. Un grand succès du domaine, irréprochable. 92 pts
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8/18/2015 - petitblanc wrote: 88 Points
Much more youthful in profile than expected, persistent red fruits, only hints of evolution. Very light and elegant despite firm structure. A bit of sharp heat detracts, but this was quite nice with a good steak. I would drink now. Air did not improve this bottle. 12.5% abv
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8/9/2015 - PeterMole wrote:
Fantastic after 2 hour decant. Big body, mouth full, thick tannines but not hard, needed the steak with wine sauce. Mature now. But may last for 10 or more years (?).
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7/25/2015 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This effort has certainly past its prime drinking window, maybe not with a lot of time but with a year or so. Subdued fruit and and a very persistent oak are the main characteristics tonight, especially after some air. Tannins are nicely integrated and certainly appear balanced. If opening a bottle, do not decant and be very careful with exposure to air.
(Please note that it is very difficult to tell about drinking windows for older wines as they are affected by cellaring. I am not at all sure this bottle has been cellared properly and it might hence not be representative for the wine as such.)
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4/3/2015 - Villon wrote: 94 Points
Délicieux, très bordelais rive-gauche comme style, évolué mais encore pas mal d'années devant lui.
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12/5/2014 - BilboBaggins wrote: 88 Points
This wine showed clear signs of age in its color and the faded fruit. There were nice secondary notes such as leather, undergrowth and dried mushrooms, but the mouth was not balanced. The tannins were still too tough and with sharp edges, and I don't think this will change.
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11/2/2014 - Neurowine1 wrote: 84 Points
I last checked in with this in '08. At that time I thought it needed a few years still to evolve. Now the tannins are well-integrated, but I think it may be a bit over the hill. There is rusticity of course (sort of a dirty Tempier), and muted masculine dark fruits and leather, but it could have used a bit more. It is definitely a thinking man's (or woman's) wine but this one made me think a bit too hard. Great love for Montus Madirans but this one isn't showing great at the moment.
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10/28/2014 - Didman wrote: 92 Points
A lovely big wine that is drinking well now.
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10/16/2014 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful nose of black cherry. Tannins have receded and this wine is drinking very nicely.
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7/24/2014 - PeterMole wrote:
Opulent, massive wine. Approaches maturity, after 2-3 hours decant.
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6/5/2014 - doctornoah wrote:
Really bretty, in a fairly unpleasant way. Did not blow off over a few hours. Ruined a complex and interesting wine. Not kick fruit poking through though.
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5/25/2014 - DaleW wrote:
mine, so no guesses. 3 hours in decanter did this a lot of good. Powerful cassis fruit, leather, tobacco, good length. Tannins present but not intrusive.A-
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1/8/2014 - UTPK wrote:
Decanted 3 hours. Open nose, a bit dirty compared to Pichon Baron 1995 tasted alongside it (blind), but nevertheless held its own place. Still very tannic and rustic.
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12/22/2013 - Villon wrote: 92 Points
Nez puissant et magnifique sur l'animal, le cuir, le goudron, le cassis, et des notes d'évolution prononcées. Bouche fondue et ronde, mais les tanins assèchent encore un peu en finale. Le fruit n'est pas absent mais clairement en retrait. Petit creux en milieux de bouche. Très beau vin sur son plateau, à boire d'ici 3-5 ans.
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12/20/2013 - phil the agony wrote: 92 Points
cerise,griotte...un goût de poney mais vivant lol..mon vin de la soirée..avec une belle pièce de viande , ça serait merveilleux.
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12/7/2013 - Die Junge Weinwelt wrote: 94 Points
oh what a nice wine! keep the bottle open 2 or 3 hours before drinking. kept the youth, but is quiet drinkable nowadays. really like the nose: earthy and a touch of animality, reminds at a horsestable but in a positive sense, good mouthfeeling, touch of moss and forest, dark fruits, a long finish, complex and bordelais. one of the best montus cuvee prestige i've ever tasted!!
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5/2/2013 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mag, rustic and still tannic, dark fruits, should be decanted or wait a couple of years...
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4/4/2013 - yiuwing_hk Likes this wine: 92 Points
I think this wine still can evolve for 10-15yrs. Tannin & fruit intensity are still rich. We open it 4 hrs earlier, the first nose from this wine is old wood & farmyard nose, and at the back is tea leaf, and then dark fruits.
The palate is really good, you cannot feel any alcohol at all, it still have fruits of blueberry, blackcurrant, hint of liquorice, graphite & spicies balanced with silky tannins & certain acidity. The length is medium+.
An interesting finding was, at the end of meal, we tasted camerbert with this wine, the finish became sweet and length was extended.
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3/21/2013 - Yagil wrote: 90 Points
decanted for 90 min - but it was not enough. (over 5 hours required)
dark black and powerful. very tannic. savoury flavours. rustic. great with heavy dishes.
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12/8/2012 - kopke Likes this wine:
Un autre vin bu en décembre et pour lequel je n'ai pas fait de CR! De mémoire, jeunesse insolente, pas tuable le tannat! Bref un vin jeune mais ayant perdu son excès de jeunesse. Il faut être patient avec ce vin! CR de mon ami Francis ci-dessous.
"La robe de ce vin, pratiquement opaque, ne laisse aucunement transparaître l’approche de ses vingt ans. C’est plutôt au nez et en bouche qu’on devine qu’il a atteint son plateau, qu’il ne semble pas près de quitter! L’ensemble est très harmonieux et complexe, sur les fruits noirs, le tabac et le cuir. La texture est caressante, les tanins sont enrobés. Mariage classique et très réussi avec le cassoulet maison. Je crois que j’encaverai quelques Madiran prochainement."
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11/11/2012 - PeterMole wrote:
Almost black colour. Very dense nose, black fruit, more cigar box, tar, chocolate, leather, see other recent tasting notes (not mine) for more details. Taste not fully developed. Tannines not entirely integrated. Very demanding great wine at this moment. Lets combine with food and see.
Did not improve with 1 day decanted, in fact desintegrated a bit.
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7/31/2012 - graphite wrote: 91 Points
This has developed since last tasting. Room-filling cigar-box aromas, tar, cassis, and hints of damp earth and Asian spices. Finishes with absurdly grippy, chalky tannins which keep it from scoring higher. Seems to be still short of its peak, but tannins may never fully resolve.
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6/15/2012 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Mature and beautiful bouquet with still cassis, smoke, good oak and ink. Very juicy dark fruits on the palate with soft and creamy tannin. Good concentration. Ready now and certainly for the next 5 years, but without tasting it in the meantime I wouldn't wait until 2028 as the drinking window indicates at this moment.
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2/17/2012 - hargy wrote: 91 Points
reticent nose - lovely wine of some length with the tannins now quite well integrated - delicious! - drink now or keep
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1/24/2012 - Eubulos wrote: 88 Points
Very good, but I think it still could need a little time, because it is still harsh and edgy despite decanting.
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6/18/2011 - cooberp wrote: 88 Points
Smells just like a left bank Bordeaux with dark fruit and tobacco. Tannic. Tastes younger than it is. A little heavy. Needs time but I don't sense too much tertiary complexity in the works.
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3/2/2011 - kenthargis wrote: 90 Points
Quite enjoyable. Rich and long finish. In a great spot. Tannins well integrated at this point. Some cocoa. Would recommend.
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2/21/2011 - DavidK wrote: 92 Points
Still a baby, this wine is starting to evolve a tiny bit now. Nice cedar, cacoa, cloves. Stuffing and balance. A great promise for enormous complexity. A huge businesscard for the best that this appelation has to offer. Visit again in four years. 18,5+/20
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12/21/2010 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I opened my second bottle when friends stopped by with Christmas presents on 12/21/10. My notes are identical to those I wrote on 12/12/10.
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12/12/2010 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I opened my 1st bottle at the end of my 12/12/10 duck dinner. It had an awesome bouquet of ripe black cherry, sage, spice, cedar, tobacco and vanilla. The palate followed with flavors of burnt toast, plum, black cherry, spice and vanilla. It was tannic and far too astringent.
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10/2/2010 - Yagil Likes this wine: 91 Points
dark color, strong quality aroma that reminds a classic Bordeaux; very tannic, coarse, not fine, still requires further breezing after 6 hours from opening and decanting.
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9/21/2010 - cnordstr wrote: 88 Points
Not for me. Still too young, too tannic.
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8/29/2010 - Fielding wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour. Nose of black fruit, with vanilla, menthol, eucalyptus and gravel. Lots of rich dark fruit on the palate, with cedar, tobacco, black pepper and just a hint of horseradish. Very tannic, but starting to come into its own. I love this wine, especially at the price.
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8/27/2010 - Guy Des Rosiers wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured at a restaurant. This still had a slight tannic bite, but was drinking beautifully. Plenty of that Montus funk (which I love) on the nose, with lots of spice and dark red fruit. Medium to full-bodied, with balanced acidity. While some of the tannins have resolved, the fruit remains vibrant, and the wine is beginning to show some maturity. No need to rush: this should continue to drink well for some time.
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8/19/2010 - meinweinkeller wrote: 92 Points
From double magnum. Still very young. Big, tanic, power, great, wait
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8/10/2010 - graphite wrote: 91 Points
Saddle leather, blackberries, black pepper, and earth. This is really still quite young and tight compared to the '96 Prestige, and my guess is it will open up after a few more years and merit a higher score.
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1/20/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
not decanted. rather austere, but it had some decent secondary characteristics. a wine i was unfamiliar with in name and experience. some tasters felt it was mildly oxidized. black tea and spice + ground pepper, as if it had some mourvedre in it. odd wine.
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1/1/2010 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for over 3 hours, then returned to bottle and cooled back to 17c. The aroma was great all the 5 hours till the bottles was consumed. The taste after 3 hours was a bit tannic and not open enough yet. Only at the 5th hour the wine became round and 'friendly', though after 4 hours, while it was licking strong, it was very enjoyable. Great wine.
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12/14/2009 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
(at Irit's) wonderful wine: opened and lowered shoulder 8 hours prior to enjoying and the wine was great at every minute.
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12/11/2009 - dejanp wrote:
After 3h decanting and 1.5h drinking, this wine is still quite closed. The wine is unfiltered so you can smell the horse stuff, and it structure is very good. Smoother tannins after decanting and has nice acidity and some dark and some red fruit comes out, too, but I hope much more comes in the years to come. BTW, this wine goes great with duck I had along.
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11/8/2009 - bertou wrote: 90 Points
Dark red colour. Intense and deep perfume of black berries, peperry notes, leather and humus. The nose is complex with good purity. The wine is still powerfull with beautiful tannins, balance and long.
Still young with great balance between fruits and evolved notes. Really nice tannins.
Bottle decantered 3 hours.
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10/12/2009 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
(with the Sextet) Wonderful experience both in aroma and taste. Still very young and can age at least 10 years more. On the wishlist.
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7/19/2009 - french16 wrote: 94 Points
Similar impressions to previous bottle. Decanted for 3 hours.
This is drinking so great and has so much complexity. A little more menthol on the nos ethan the previous bottle.
While tasting this wine blind, it was interesting to see everybody calling for a Bordeaux...Says a lot !
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7/8/2009 - Fielding wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours. Blackish purple in the glass, this looks like a Napa valley barrel tasting. Nose of plums, pluots, menthol and blackberry tart. Tannic, sappy and primary on the palate, with black cherry, tobacco and cedar. This wine does not taste 14 years old, and could use some more bottle age. Should be pretty impressive in a few more years, especially for the price. Delicious actually, but it feels like my taste buds just got mugged.
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3/7/2009 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PvD): Lead pencil and a lot of cherries in the bouquet. Concentrated and soft in the mouth. In the aftertaste there is still a lot of sticky tannin.
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10/14/2008 - french16 wrote: 93 Points
The first thing you notice in the color of this wine is how young it still is: very dark core and still no signs of maturation on the rim.
Great nose with a lot of cedar, very wild with game and fur notes, some herbs and tobacco. Full body, tannins are a little dry but it is getting better with air and of course food (boudin noir). Balanced and complex, it is a wonderful bold and animal wine but with also some good, clean fruits (mainly dark) with a very long smoky finish.
Glad to have 5 more to see how they evolve.
Drink now to 2020.
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10/11/2008 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Chez Appollo. À l'ouverture je me demandais si cette bouteille n'avait pas vu de meilleurs jours, la finale me paraissant un peu brouillonne et asséchante. Mais le vin s'est épanoui avec le gibier, se révélant un spectaculaire accompagnement sur le cerf et encore davantage le canard.
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4/5/2007 - Fatty Cat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Early Apr 2007: purple color; leather, horse, cigar box and slightly red fruit; round and smooth, accompanied with a light acidity on the palate.
Really liked this wine. Mature and on the spot.
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9/27/2006 - Markdo wrote:
A big brooding powerful wine. Even after 4 hours this wine did not seem to have truly opened up. Smooth tannins, closed dark fruits, good lenth. Slightly disappointed by the wine after so much expectation.
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9/2/2006 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Bordeaux 94/95 @ Peter V. (Netherlands): Incredibly impressive wine. Very big boned and energetic. Carressing and seductive black fruit and asian spice, school paint, black olives. Reserved, dark and impending like a thunderstorm. Okay, it might be a tad licquor-like, porty maybe, and it's got huge tannines.... But the texture and complexity of this wine are truly addictive. A true fist in a velvet glove. Glorious. 18.5/20
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9/2/2006 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Occasional tasting group: Top Bordeaux 1994 & 1995 plus a few extra's. (@ PVa): Blood/purple red. Backward but very friendly sweet bouquet. The wine is juicy, but has a lot of acidity. Overall I wondered if they used American oak.
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5/17/2006 - PhDP wrote: 93 Points
1995 (groupe du mercredi, Bruxelles, Belgium, chez GV): moyenne du groupe: 17.6/20
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10/3/2005 - SteveHyde wrote:
This was a tough wine to get a handle on. Closed at the open, I poured half into a split and put it in the fridge. After a hour or so, it opened quite a bit, with a nice rustic quality, good grip, black fruits but a mit muted, thin in the middle and herbal on the finish. Next day, it initially showed this way - there was a lightness to it that worked against it. Within a couple more hours though, the wine had gained weight, lost some of the herbal notes, the fruit had sweetened, and the tanins became really lovely in the mouth. I only had one bottle of this, and would like to give it a few more chances. The question I had is whether and how this will improve. Yes, it gained overall with air. And it came across as quite primary, including in terms of color. But I just didn't have a sense that if I let it sit there for another five years, the profile overall would gain that much. Just a feeling.
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