3/5/2024 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Delicious California Cabernet Sauvignon - perfect condition into neck even the cork wasn’t stained except the bottom which seldom happens with nearly 30 year old wine.

Tight and acidic the first night but with a somewhat muted nose (91). Better on day 2 and 3 when it loosened up and had a more alluring nose and pallet of medium cherries (93). Very nice wine!

2/14/2023 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Opened this wine to try it before it shuts down which supposedly Las Cases is known to do early. Not decanted. Bitter black but somewhat aristocratic notes on day 1. Better after 5 hours of air in the bottle.

Much better on day 2 especially toward the end - very deep and mesmerizing black and blue fruits and extremely expressive on the nose and palate - kept smelling the glass in partial disbelief that it was so good. My wife loved it and said “this is really good”. The smell was similar at times to the Leoville Barton but deeper and more steady. The Barton changed aromas more frequently. A 2019 Calon Segur on day 1 was good but paled in comparison to this - the Calon was best on day 3 though. Best wine I’ve had except for the 2019 Canon last June that was just unreal and the Montrose. These three represent the best of 2019 Bordeaux in my opinion but there are many excellent 2019s.

On day 3 it wasn’t as expressive or deep but a bit more integrated with the same beautiful deep black and blue fruit smell. On day 4 was more muted on the nose and palate but still an excellent wine with a long finish.

Now I understand why this wine is so expensive - it is for special occasions, but wish it was more affordable for us normal folk! Nonetheless am glad to try this out before it likely shuts down for 10+ years.

2/14/2023 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Opened for the Super Bowl and Valentines Day! Beautiful and elegant red berry notes through 3 days of tasting. No decant but needed a bit a time to open up on day 1, better and more integrated on day 2. It was most impressive on day 3, Valentines Day, however, with racing acidity and very fragrant nose and palate with a moderately long finish. It has a beautiful nose that you want to keep sniffing the glass.

First bottle back in October had alcohol poking out all 4 days that William Kelly mentioned in his review but this bottle didn’t have that issue. However, that bottle was more expressive on day 1 and 2 than this one and was very reminiscent except for the alcohol issue of a 2018 Calon Segur tasted last Valentine’s Day which was breathtaking! The 2019 doesn’t quite reach the majestic heights of the 2018 but is close.

1/10/2023 - ClassicWineLover wrote:

Very nice aged Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Shows the strength of the Rutherford terroir and 2001 California vintage. Perfect balance and harmonious finish. Moderate cherry and anise nose and on the palate. Moderate complexity too - tastes like a wine with 13.5% alcohol instead of 14.4% on the label.

Held up very well over 3 days - nearly as good on 3rd day as the first. Easily outclassed a 1995 Leoville Barton to my surprise.

12/15/2022 - ClassicWineLover wrote:

Base neck - cork almost saturated to top. Definitely demonstrated the benefits of well-cellared wine. Yes, low alcohol old Bordeaux does resemble Burgundy if cellared well. Light cherry and some tobacco with long finish and back-end echo that some old wines provide. 11.5% alcohol. As good on the third day as the first. Sublime wine. Oldest wine ever experienced and a treat.

12/23/2022 - ClassicWineLover wrote:

Interesting tasting experience. Ready to go on day 1 with a bit of air. Dark, bold and delicious. Muted on day 2 - more like a typical haut medoc from 2018. Much better on day 3 - bold, robust and California-like but with some Bordeaux refinement. Not at the level of the Pichon Comtesse Reserve 2018 but satisfying nonetheless with an elegant nose at the end of day 3! Will be better in 2-5 years I think but not bad on day 1 or 3 today.

12/18/2022 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Very nice elegant Bordeaux - just 12.5% alcohol so must be very different from Valandraud’s current style. Shows the benefits of well-cellared wine. Seamless tobacco, campfire smoke and light cherry flavors. Long, satisfying finish. First two bottles two years ago were disappointing at first - just simple but decent tobacco notes at first but opened up after 2 hours to a classic mature Bordeaux.

11/26/2022 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Tried the 19 Leoville Barton back in May and late November. The bottle in May was really stunning - beautiful purple and plum fruit with multiple layers. Every glass was different - in May my thoughts were that this was certainly a great wine! The aromas from the glass were mesmerizing and it was tough to stop smelling it! It was excellent from Pnp through day 3. The bottle in November was very good but more muted or shy than the first one. There appears to be some bottle variation with very young Bordeaux. Regardless this is an outstanding wine that is QPR of the 2019 vintage in my opinion along with the regal Brane Cantenac.

10/15/2022 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Agree with the critics - this is an outstanding, mesmerizing wine. QPR of the vintage with 2019 Leoville Barton in my opinion. Phil Bernstein and the rest of the crew from MacAuthur’s Beverages were right about its QPR. First bottle in May was stunning - beautiful nose, complex palate and nice tension as well. The 2nd day the smell was burnt sugar - haven’t experienced that before in wine and even actually burned a bit of sugar to make sure I was smelling it right. Isn’t that part of what Mouton is known for? Next three bottles (couldn’t keep from trying other ones) were very good but not as stunning. 5th bottle was stunning like the first. Improved with air in the bottle particularly after 2 hours. Don’t know how it ended up because it was left at my brother’s house!

12/13/2022 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

First time trying a Montrose! Deep, brooding powerful wine with that alluring St. Estephe minerality. Best on day 2-5. Tannic on first day but mellowed out particularly on the 3rd and 4th day. Long aftertaste on day 4 and 5. Some burnt sugar aromas when finishing the bottle on day 5. Distinct but smells like the 19 Leoville Barton at times with greater depth but less complexity. Complexity will come with time I think. My wife really enjoyed it. A fine wine to take small pours of - an ounce is enough - particularly at this point. Will be best after 15+ years as Montrose is known for being a wine to cellar for decades.

12/13/2022 - ClassicWineLover Likes this wine:

Very nice California wine. Fragrant bold blackberries on the nose and palate restrained nicely near the edge of overextraction. Shows the benefits of well-cellared wine. Into neck fill and cork saturated about 2/3 to top. Likely at its peak. Pnp - maybe 15-30 decant helpful. After trying a 2019 Montrose it plainly shows the benefits of aging wine. The very young Montrose was best on day 3 and 4.