2015 Château Montrose

Description

98  James Suckling
“Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024.” (2/2018)

96  Wine Enthusiast
“This sumptuous, powerful wine has a great sense of structure and tannins. It is also overwhelmingly dense with black fruits and swathes of rich black currants. In this vintage, even more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual in the blend has given a ripe wine set for a far-distant future. Drink from 2026.” (5/2018)

95  Jeb Dunnuck
“Another wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Montrose is a certainly the wine of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. Notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and graphite/lead pencil notes all flow to a beautifully pure, elegant and multi-dimensional 2015 that has fine, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great finish. The 2015 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, all of which was brought up in 65% new oak. This isn’t a blockbuster yet is pure class all the way. It will be better in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades.” (11/2017)

95  Lisa Perrotti-Brown for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Montrose opens with broody black fruits, menthol and anise notes with a core of cassis, blueberries and mulberries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with a good core of muscular fruit and a long, earthy finish.” (2/2018)

94  Neal Martin for Vinous
“The 2015 Montrose was bottled in July 2017, a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. I remember that Herve Berland felt that I was rather mean to the 2015 after the splendid 2014. Certainly I find that élevage has meliorated this Montrose and lent the aromatics a little more complexity and cohesion compared to its showing in barrel. There is still plenty of blackberry and cassis fruit, also a subtle floral component that becomes more conspicuous with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, smooth and almost silky in texture with a fine bead of acidity. This is certainly one of the more elegant and graceful Montrose in recent years with a lovely saline, marine-influenced finish. I maintain that it will be surpassed by the 2014 and nascent 2016, but it remains a delicious Montrose whose fineness of tannins should render it more approachable than other recent vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2021 – 2045.” (2/2018)

93  Jane Anson for Decanter
“An imposing wine which shows the excellence of the winemaking and terroir, but it’s not as deft or effortless as the 2016. Montrose is often austere in its youth, and the well-knitted black fruits wound with tight strands of liquorice are clearly capable of long ageing. There is something extremely special here, although the tannins are very much closed up right now. The smallest selection for the grand vin for 15 years.” (11/2017)