March 3, 2024 - Touch of brick red, nose ripe plum and blue berries, herbs, cedar, a little bit of smoke of wood. Very balanced and integraterd. Long finish. I expect not no further improvement, but still a long life a head.
March 2, 2024 - Early Mar 2024, Rheingau Gourmet Festival, rarity diner “25 vintages of Chateau Montrose”: according to the sommelier double decanted for up to 3 hours; deep crimson color; rich bouquet of coffee, cherries, and herbs; open and round, ethereal like texture; medium/light body.
Vintages of flight II:
1975 - 1986 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1994 - 1996
February 24, 2024 - Decanted an hour before dinner and enjoyed over 3 hours. Perfect cork. Fruit soars from the decanter at open. Dark blue fruit, great secondaries on the nose. On the palate this is ripe and expansive, really enjoyable with and without fruit. If there were the smallest nit it would be a very slight drying on the finish but nothing to complain about. I think I would be drinking this now because the fruit is in such a good place but should hold. A-
February 15, 2024 - PnP. Expressive aromas of leather, tobacco, brambly dark fruits and graphite. Fourth consistent bottle out of a well-stored case and they continue to mature and improve. Great balance with a few tannins in reserve. Drinking very well now and should hold for ~10 years.
December 6, 2023 - Very pure Cabernet dominated - clean but foursquare, firm and slightly green. Little aromatics, even with air. Just seems to be lacking something. Hopefully will develop more interest with another 5yrs. Drink from 2028. 92-93pts
November 22, 2023 - Not fully resolved with acid and tannin. Nice finish, not a great wine for me. Palate is nice, not sure it’s really complex, maybe a little plodding. Expected a bit more from vintage/producer I think. Fruit itself is quite nice though - understated and elegant.
November 18, 2023 - This is an example of how aged Bordeaux should taste like. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of black fruits, smoke, charr wood, toast, spices, vanilla. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Tannin is integrated. Drink now.
September 29, 2023 - Refined cherry and blackberry with smoke and cedar notes. Drinking in its prime? Not that compkex, but elegant.
September 2, 2023 - Majestic nose of creamy, leathery black fruits, wonderful aroma! Dark ruby in colour, a hint of watery rim! The palate is smooth and quite ready to go, peppery, juicy and leathery, with a lengthy finish and still, a little tannic! A beauty!
July 29, 2023 - If you love powerful tannins, then I got you a good choice. The 1996 Montrose is still young, will need a decade or two in your cellar to tame the fantastic acidity-tannins battle, with still reasonably fresh fruity notes. Missed secondary and tertiary notes on the palate and finish was not too long in my opinion, given other contestants in our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting Events", which surpassed the minute mark by far.
I guess you need to be very patient with this wine in your cellar and as I am not really known for this, but still prefer well aged wines, I am giving a pass on this one too.