Pnp on day one: promising nose with vanilla, garrigue, black olives, black fruit, cassis, butterscotch, cherries. But, the palate did not come through in the same way. I got cherry liqueur, high acidity, heat from alcohol and too hefty tannins. It did not feel balanced so I put the cork back and tried it two days later which was a much better experience - although the nose was now more muted and showed prunes, dark chocolate, gianduja and maraschino cherries. The palate had opened up (still woody tannins though) to dark forrest berries, chocolate, hazelnuts and dessicated apples which was a first for me in a red wine. I have one more of these to try in the future.
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First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): Served Blind. Medium minus intensity aromas are slightly reductive rubbery, blackcurrant, sweet spice, alcohol warmth, quite closed on the nose. In the mouth medium plus intensity acidity, massive drying, tannins are chalky textured, black hued fruits, alcohol warmth. I knew this was mine.
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I näsan vanilj, cederträ, lösningsmedel, katrinplommon. Komplext och kryddigt. Curry? I munnen: Fyllig, allt är väl integrerat och balanserat. Härliga smuliga taniner. Medelång eftersmak.
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Farbe: sehr dunkles rot, fast schwarz Geruch: dunkelbeering, schwarze Johannisbeere Geschmack: guter Körper, Tannine sehr schön integriert, wieder dunkle Beeren, langer Abgang
Gesamteindruck: Sehr toller Wein, entgegen meiner Befürchtung sind die Tannine schon sehr sanft und schön in den Wein integriert. Grosser Trinkgenuss für einen fairen Preis.
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From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry backed vanilla, baking spice and cream. Very primary nose. Medium plus acidity, plenty of blackcurrant, backed by black cherry with tight grainy tannins that persist hand in hand with the fruit. Lovely.
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Pop n Pour, drinking very nicely,dark red colour,powerful but very well balanced, black fruits,good length, not the tannic monster it once was. Wife loves it as well, very very nice, 3 bottles left, now wish I had more !! Excellent.
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Great solid structure. Entering its prime window. Dark red, beautiful cassis, dark cherry fruit, black olives, very aromatic fruitprofile with layers of flavours. Just enough oak. Tannins are there but nothing problematic with food. But maybe less personal than I’m remembering it. But an absolutely lovely wine.
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Wonderfull wine! Darkish red, earthy notes with vanilla and dark fruit. Full bodied with smoth tannins perfectly matched with vanilla, tobacco and dark plums. This wine is of course a perfect match with Boeuf Bourguignon and the likes.
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Not really a pleasure to drink now and is not as good as it was when it was young. Hopefully it will survive and blossom when it gets older. Will try again 2022.
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My reaction to this Montus is very similar to that for its Bouscassé '08 stable mate. Indeed it is even richer, sweeter, more fruit forward and more alcoholic (15%!!). Full bodied, dark coloured, rich, deep, spicy, slightly chocolatey, softly tannic and quite long and has managed gracefully the feat of ageing in 80% new wood without disfigurement from strong notes of vanilla and dry caramel and of balancing high alcohol without a lot of burn. So in all an impressive and accomplished wine but where has gone the Madiran from as recently as the '90s with its brooding earthiness, leather, minerality and distinguished austerity?
Monthly Tasting Group EEE #051; South West France (@ PV): In the bouquet dark forest fruits, chocolate, herbs and spices, anise and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate dark berries, chocolate, licorice, figs, firm acidity and tannin and good bitterness. A mouth full of still youthful wine and with a good length. Will improve with some more ageing; 2020 – 2022+. I scored it 90+ for tonight.
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Color- deep red almost purple/black fade at edge to Rich red color Legs- nice long legs Smell - fruit on the beginning of the nose, red and black, then onto earthy notes of oak, vanilla, and old leather. Taste - red black fruit, mushrooms earthy, spice and pepper on the finish. Very nice tannins mouth feel like velvet
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Inky purple colour.Sweet spices and vanilla notes from new oak dominate to nose.Full body.Lovely velvety texture is seductive.Good acidity and has fine tanins.Very well balanced,serious wine.
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What a rich, inspiring and TI-tannic young wine. Absolutely amazing with anything cheese, garlicy or meat.
Rich aroma on opening. Stayed rich all night. Superbly balanced, rich and very very tannic. Acids are M++, M+ body. Fruit is rich and young. Not so much sediment.
Must be one of their best efforts. Thrilling! However, I think this is shutting down as it's not playing the rich fruit-violin anymore. Really lloking forward to what will emerge in five-or-so-years.
"Like expensive brands, just not expensive."
2009 Chateau Montus. Som rulade och regerade. Djäklar anåda i min kemilåda... Detta sistnämnda men förstdruckna är ett RIKTIGT vin. Finns inget "mysigt" med det, med sitt stramt varma sätt av ståendes i givakt. Ett riktigt bra, RIKTIGT vin. Sud-Ouest is the place to be! Vi har bara några enstaka flaskor kvar av denna högpotenta Montus, trots att jag vandrade hem med en trälåda från SB i samband med att de släpptes för några år sedan. Fasen vad bra det vinet kommer bli, bara vi lyckas undvika öppna dem stup i kvarten...
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It took some time for the bouquet to develop. IMHO this is a great wine with a long ageing potential. But, I am afraid this bottle will be empty soon. Deep garnet colour, lots of long legs. Combination of red and dark fruit. Some figs. Some tea. I do smell and taste some mushrooms and a wet forest floor with rotten leaves. Great! Also some peppers and cloves but I think the earthy aroma’s are more present. Good++ mouth feeling, soft, silk, - not too fleshy -, balanced tannins and acids. Decanting is highly recommended! Cheers from The Netherlands
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Blackish red with a violet tinge. Nose took a long time to even wake up. Awake, it displays lingonberries and molten butter (jag saknar bara palt och Biggan: gnocchi) in an awesome way. Attractive and compelling. On the palate, it was immediately strong and rich. Superbly intense and layered. M+++ tannin M+ acid. Peerless richness. Intense, balanced and mega-young with a great future.
I repeat myself: Of all the Montus plain wines, this is the best young one I ever tasted. And at a price like this... QPR of the decade!
Many btls to go, next one (hopefully) after 2020.
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1st btl from case. The best standard Montus we ever had. Young, tannic beast with great heft. Although immensely attractive today, will greatly reward keepers.
Dark red. Nose of lingonberries, red currants, Bordeaux-like earth, La Garrigue, wet clay and some cedar wood. Palate is rich with mid-palate excelling in both dark fruits and red currants with molten butter on top. Endgame long with strong yet mature tannins, dark, sun matured fruit and notions of apple peel. Oak is underlining rather than highlighting. Acids provide clarity. Long, satisfying, complex and layered. This will be a fantastic travel companion with our own lives' development. Date w/next btl (only 11 to go) on the other side of 2020. Wife: 87. At La Verdura, Yokohama.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant, black pepper, mushroom and smokey and has flavours of alcohol, smokey, coffee and cedar.
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Fullmatad Bordeaux-lik doft med tobak, mörka bär och inte alltför dominerande ek. Frukt, syra och tanniner finns det massor av i smaken men det är ändå njutbart att dricka redan.
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Dark purple color. Full body. Alcoholic nose. On the palate, coarse, harsh, and crude; hyperactive acidity and wild tannins. Notes of pepper, cloves, and charcoal. Abrasive even after a couple hours of air. I won't be purchasing more, but if I had more bottles, I would wait a decade and hope it turns into something drinkable. I doubt it will, though.
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First day: Deep black colour. International toasted berry-nose due to 80% new wood which is not integrated yet. No terroir on the nose at this stage. Full bodied, taut and tannic mouthfeel, closes up in the glass. Stains your teeth as expected from a young Tannat based wine! Second day: Not much change, the tannins have not softened much and the fruit is perhaps a bit more compressed.
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Dense purple color. Reticent earthy tobacco and graphite nose after a short decant. Fruit is hidden with prominent grainy tannins at the back end. Big improvement as plum and berries emerged day 2 with the tannins unchanged. Medium finish. Pair with a hearty dish or rich cheese. Needs a few years with a long life ahead. At $25 I’ll pick up more as I feel there is upside potential here.
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11/15/2023 - #Cellar mistress wrote: 90 Points
Pnp on day one: promising nose with vanilla, garrigue, black olives, black fruit, cassis, butterscotch, cherries. But, the palate did not come through in the same way. I got cherry liqueur, high acidity, heat from alcohol and too hefty tannins.
It did not feel balanced so I put the cork back and tried it two days later which was a much better experience - although the nose was now more muted and showed prunes, dark chocolate, gianduja and maraschino cherries.
The palate had opened up (still woody tannins though) to dark forrest berries, chocolate, hazelnuts and dessicated apples which was a first for me in a red wine. I have one more of these to try in the future.
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7/29/2023 - Nyllet wrote: 91 Points
Leather, murky wood and still some plum fruit. Very good concentration, nice acidity and sanded down tannins.
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1/20/2023 - Zorg wrote: 90 Points
In its middle age, no hurry.
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12/29/2022 - winetobealive wrote: 90 Points
Un peu raide le midi mais très équilibré et élégant le soir.
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12/1/2021 - chatters wrote:
First Wednesday Wine Club (Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield): Served Blind.
Medium minus intensity aromas are slightly reductive rubbery, blackcurrant, sweet spice, alcohol warmth, quite closed on the nose. In the mouth medium plus intensity acidity, massive drying, tannins are chalky textured, black hued fruits, alcohol warmth.
I knew this was mine.
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10/23/2021 - hooods Likes this wine: 91 Points
I näsan vanilj, cederträ, lösningsmedel, katrinplommon. Komplext och kryddigt. Curry?
I munnen: Fyllig, allt är väl integrerat och balanserat. Härliga smuliga taniner. Medelång eftersmak.
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7/8/2021 - Fat cat Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full of life, rich, dark and complex. In a good place
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5/21/2020 - natap Likes this wine: 90 Points
Farbe: sehr dunkles rot, fast schwarz
Geruch: dunkelbeering, schwarze Johannisbeere
Geschmack: guter Körper, Tannine sehr schön integriert, wieder dunkle Beeren, langer Abgang
Gesamteindruck: Sehr toller Wein, entgegen meiner Befürchtung sind die Tannine schon sehr sanft und schön in den Wein integriert. Grosser Trinkgenuss für einen fairen Preis.
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4/10/2020 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry backed vanilla, baking spice and cream. Very primary nose. Medium plus acidity, plenty of blackcurrant, backed by black cherry with tight grainy tannins that persist hand in hand with the fruit. Lovely.
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12/8/2019 - gallimp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop n Pour, drinking very nicely,dark red colour,powerful but very well balanced, black fruits,good length, not the tannic monster it once was. Wife loves it as well, very very nice, 3 bottles left, now wish I had more !! Excellent.
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12/5/2019 - Hanibal wrote: 89 Points
way too tannic still to enjoy
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11/7/2019 - roboto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great solid structure. Entering its prime window.
Dark red, beautiful cassis, dark cherry fruit, black olives, very aromatic fruitprofile with layers of flavours. Just enough oak. Tannins are there but nothing problematic with food.
But maybe less personal than I’m remembering it. But an absolutely lovely wine.
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9/20/2019 - danme Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderfull wine! Darkish red, earthy notes with vanilla and dark fruit. Full bodied with smoth tannins perfectly matched with vanilla, tobacco and dark plums. This wine is of course a perfect match with Boeuf Bourguignon and the likes.
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6/1/2019 - sknipe Likes this wine: 85 Points
Enjoyable but still too tannic. Would have benefitted from a few more years aging. Mellowed after a very long decanting.
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9/1/2018 - Zorg wrote:
Not really a pleasure to drink now and is not as good as it was when it was young. Hopefully it will survive and blossom when it gets older. Will try again 2022.
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8/10/2016 - eboracum wrote: 89 Points
My reaction to this Montus is very similar to that for its Bouscassé '08 stable mate. Indeed it is even richer, sweeter, more fruit forward and more alcoholic (15%!!). Full bodied, dark coloured, rich, deep, spicy, slightly chocolatey, softly tannic and quite long and has managed gracefully the feat of ageing in 80% new wood without disfigurement from strong notes of vanilla and dry caramel and of balancing high alcohol without a lot of burn. So in all an impressive and accomplished wine but where has gone the Madiran from as recently as the '90s with its brooding earthiness, leather, minerality and distinguished austerity?
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6/1/2016 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly Tasting Group EEE #051; South West France (@ PV): In the bouquet dark forest fruits, chocolate, herbs and spices, anise and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate dark berries, chocolate, licorice, figs, firm acidity and tannin and good bitterness. A mouth full of still youthful wine and with a good length. Will improve with some more ageing; 2020 – 2022+. I scored it 90+ for tonight.
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3/1/2015 - naator Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color- deep red almost purple/black fade at edge to Rich red color
Legs- nice long legs
Smell - fruit on the beginning of the nose, red and black, then onto earthy notes of oak, vanilla, and old leather.
Taste - red black fruit, mushrooms earthy, spice and pepper on the finish. Very nice tannins mouth feel like velvet
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2/27/2015 - Ilker Ozdemir wrote: 93 Points
Inky purple colour.Sweet spices and vanilla notes from new oak dominate to nose.Full body.Lovely velvety texture is seductive.Good acidity and has fine tanins.Very well balanced,serious wine.
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1/22/2015 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine:
What a rich, inspiring and TI-tannic young wine. Absolutely amazing with anything cheese, garlicy or meat.
Rich aroma on opening. Stayed rich all night.
Superbly balanced, rich and very very tannic. Acids are M++, M+ body. Fruit is rich and young. Not so much sediment.
Must be one of their best efforts. Thrilling! However, I think this is shutting down as it's not playing the rich fruit-violin anymore. Really lloking forward to what will emerge in five-or-so-years.
"Like expensive brands, just not expensive."
2009 Chateau Montus. Som rulade och regerade. Djäklar anåda i min kemilåda... Detta sistnämnda men förstdruckna är ett RIKTIGT vin. Finns inget "mysigt" med det, med sitt stramt varma sätt av ståendes i givakt. Ett riktigt bra, RIKTIGT vin. Sud-Ouest is the place to be! Vi har bara några enstaka flaskor kvar av denna högpotenta Montus, trots att jag vandrade hem med en trälåda från SB i samband med att de släpptes för några år sedan. Fasen vad bra det vinet kommer bli, bara vi lyckas undvika öppna dem stup i kvarten...
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12/24/2014 - vinotom.com wrote: 90 Points
It took some time for the bouquet to develop. IMHO this is a great wine with a long ageing potential. But, I am afraid this bottle will be empty soon.
Deep garnet colour, lots of long legs. Combination of red and dark fruit. Some figs. Some tea. I do smell and taste some mushrooms and a wet forest floor with rotten leaves. Great!
Also some peppers and cloves but I think the earthy aroma’s are more present. Good++ mouth feeling, soft, silk, - not too fleshy -, balanced tannins and acids.
Decanting is highly recommended! Cheers from The Netherlands
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9/12/2014 - Gargantua wrote:
Mismash of hasty impressions from Winebow and Regal Portfolio Tastings (NYC): Quite the sweet charmer vs other vintages tasted today, if still tannic.
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6/14/2014 - Zorg wrote: 93 Points
Very good but oh so young. Great structure and a very long aftertaste full of lingonberries.
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6/14/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 94 Points
World Cup Football BBQ wine dinner (Zorg's place, Umeå, Sweden): Shockingly good, and all people attending were flabbergasted of this comparatively humble wine's amazing performance.
Blackish red with a violet tinge.
Nose took a long time to even wake up. Awake, it displays lingonberries and molten butter (jag saknar bara palt och Biggan: gnocchi) in an awesome way. Attractive and compelling.
On the palate, it was immediately strong and rich. Superbly intense and layered. M+++ tannin M+ acid. Peerless richness.
Intense, balanced and mega-young with a great future.
I repeat myself: Of all the Montus plain wines, this is the best young one I ever tasted. And at a price like this... QPR of the decade!
Many btls to go, next one (hopefully) after 2020.
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11/25/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 93 Points
1st btl from case. The best standard Montus we ever had. Young, tannic beast with great heft. Although immensely attractive today, will greatly reward keepers.
Dark red.
Nose of lingonberries, red currants, Bordeaux-like earth, La Garrigue, wet clay and some cedar wood.
Palate is rich with mid-palate excelling in both dark fruits and red currants with molten butter on top. Endgame long with strong yet mature tannins, dark, sun matured fruit and notions of apple peel. Oak is underlining rather than highlighting. Acids provide clarity. Long, satisfying, complex and layered. This will be a fantastic travel companion with our own lives' development.
Date w/next btl (only 11 to go) on the other side of 2020.
Wife: 87.
At La Verdura, Yokohama.
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7/20/2013 - startinoz wrote: 91 Points
Intense blakberry. Good acidity. Nice.
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2/21/2013 - jonggj wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, black currant, black pepper, mushroom and smokey and has flavours of alcohol, smokey, coffee and cedar.
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9/10/2012 - linuhage wrote: 91 Points
Fullmatad Bordeaux-lik doft med tobak, mörka bär och inte alltför dominerande ek. Frukt, syra och tanniner finns det massor av i smaken men det är ändå njutbart att dricka redan.
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7/31/2012 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:
Dark purple color. Full body. Alcoholic nose. On the palate, coarse, harsh, and crude; hyperactive acidity and wild tannins. Notes of pepper, cloves, and charcoal. Abrasive even after a couple hours of air. I won't be purchasing more, but if I had more bottles, I would wait a decade and hope it turns into something drinkable. I doubt it will, though.
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6/20/2012 - UTPK wrote:
First day: Deep black colour. International toasted berry-nose due to 80% new wood which is not integrated yet. No terroir on the nose at this stage. Full bodied, taut and tannic mouthfeel, closes up in the glass. Stains your teeth as expected from a young Tannat based wine! Second day: Not much change, the tannins have not softened much and the fruit is perhaps a bit more compressed.
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2/29/2012 - tbriggs wrote:
Big wine taste, the alcohol did not show through, but it was extracted and a little heavy, like something you'd expect from California. Rebuy: no.
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1/7/2012 - strno wrote: 89 Points
Dense purple color. Reticent earthy tobacco and graphite nose after a short decant. Fruit is hidden with prominent grainy tannins at the back end. Big improvement as plum and berries emerged day 2 with the tannins unchanged. Medium finish. Pair with a hearty dish or rich cheese. Needs a few years with a long life ahead. At $25 I’ll pick up more as I feel there is upside potential here.
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