2014 Chateau Montrose - 2eme Cru St. Estephe

Decanter.com – 96 pts – JA: *The velvety texture of the fruit and the tannins seem to shine through here, even on the aromatics. It's one of the wines of the vintage and is showing beautifully after four years. Of course, it's nowhere near ready to drink, but the tannins have an astonishingly vibrant, tactile quality against the palate. This is coupled with concentrated flavours of cassis, bilberry, charcoal, liquorice, deep woodsmoke and cedar. One for the cellar, and then some. 1% Petit Verdot finishes the blend. Harvested through until 16 October as with many of these St-Estèphes, given the luxury of the beautiful October weather.* - 05/2018

Falstaff Magazin - 97pts - US: *Extrem verschlossen, mit Mandeltönen, Kräuter, Pfeffer, feuchter Asphalt. Am Gaumen mit viskosem Hintergrund, eine immens verdichtete feste Gerbstoffstruktur, feinkörnig, mit großer Spannung, nervig-sehnig, kräftige Säure, spannungsvoll, feste Mineralität gibt Länge. Ein Wein für die Langstrecke, wird mindestens 20 Jahre Reife benötigen.* -04/2015

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 96pts - NM: *Tasted at the château, the 2014 Montrose builds on the promise it showed in barrel with gorgeous blackberry, raspberry, cedar and orange sorbet scents that are extremely pure and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very precise acidity and layers of crisp black fruit laced with vanilla from the new oak at the moment. That will be subsumed in time. What you have here is a very precise, multi-layered, almost sensual Montrose that is going to delight many for years to come. This is highly recommended—one of the finest Left Bank wines this vintage. Tasted September 2016.* -03/2017

Vinum Magazin – 18/20pts: *Von besonderer Rasse und grosser Stiltreue, glasklares Tannin mit Schliff, gewisse Robustheit auch – die Verwandtschaft mit Latour ist unverkennbar.* - 06/2017

WeinWisser – 18/20pts – RG: *61 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 8 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. 47 % Grand Vin. Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Verhaltenes, leicht hölzern wirkendes Bouquet, mehr Gewürze als Frucht zeigend. Im zweiten Ansatz Edelhölzer, dominikanischer Tabak und Pfefferkörner. Es ist aber schwer, von der Nase her, viel über den Wein zu sagen. Im Gaumen ein massiver Tanninbrocken, wobei diese Gerbstoffe dann doch erste Rundungen zeigen und versuchen, wenigstens etwas verhaltenen Frühcharme zu vermitteln. Die Aromen scheinen noch irgendwo im Innern verbogen zu sein. Ein introvertierter Montrose, der wohl erst in ein paar Jahren so richtig zeigen wird, wohin seine Evolutionsreise gehen wird. Auf alle Fälle geht er in Richtung «streng», respektive grosse Klassik. Wer einen besonders lagerfähigen Wein für seine in diesem Jahr geborenen Kinder sucht, der ist hier auf lange Sicht bestens bedient. Er ist aber schwer zu verkosten, weil die Aromen ganz im Innersten verharren!* - 04/2015

JancisRobinson.com – 17+/20pts – JR: *Rather gloriously polished and already fun. Light tannins but savoury and classic claret.* - 05/2019

JamesSuckling.com - 97pts - JS: *Incredible aromas of currants, blackberries, slate and flowers. Full-bodied yet so tight and beautiful with superb polish and brightness. The length is fantastic. Truly superb. Drink in 2021.* -02/2017

Vinous.com – 97 pts – AG: *The 2014 Montrose is without question one of the standout wines of the vintage. Black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and lavender are some of the many aromas and flavors that open up in the glass. But the 2014 is a much deeper wine than just a bunch of descriptors can conjure. In 2014, Montrose is a wine of exceptional finesse and polish. The late-ripening vintage allowed for perfect maturation of the tannins and resulted in a silky wine that exudes class and pedigree. The 2014 is not an obvious or bombastic Montrose, but rather a wine of sublime enchantment. Don't miss it!* - 02/2017

Vinous.com – 96 pts – NM: *The 2014 Montrose has a bouquet that exudes class and sophistication: pure and mineral-driven black fruit, cedar and pencil lead, hints of blueberry developing with aeration although it never impedes upon the sense of terroir. The palate is medium-bodied with graphite-tinged black fruit, filigree tannin, a sweet core of blackberry and boysenberry fruit with a satin-like texture towards the finish. There is obviously some high quality oak used here, but it is simpatico with the fruit. For Montrose, you might argue that this is more modern in style and yet it is undeniably crafted with real panache to create a modern classic. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.* - 03/2018

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 95 pts – JL: *I really like how this wine is developing. Full-bodied, earthy, fresh, and vibrant, you find a leafy, cigar wrapper and spice edge to all of its layers of currants and blackberries. Give it a few more years in the cellar and it could be even better.* - 11/2022