2015 Chateau Montrose - 2eme Cru St. Estephe

04/16: *Grande sève, grand ensemble digne de l’attente, avec cette touche saline surprenante mais si typée de ce terroir unique, ne souffre que de la prodigieuse réussite de son voisin et compagnon d’écurie tronquoy-lalande, un rien moins fin et subtil, mais un peu plus intense en milieu de bouche, en raison d’étonnants merlots.* (96-97/100)

Decanter.com – 93 pts – JA: *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

Falstaff Magazin – 94 pts - PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung, zart balsamisch unterlegtes Brombeerkonfit, feine Edelholzwürze, mineralischer Anklang, insgesamt etwas verhalten. Saftige frische Herzkirschen am Gaumen, zarte Extraktsüße, eingebundene Tannine, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, gute Länge, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter.* - 03/2019

Vinum Magazin – 18,5/20pts: *Sicher der verschlossenste der Saint-Estèphe in dieser Phase, aber auch der Wein mit dem grössten Potenzial, gut strukturiert, knackiges, im guten Sinn herbes, kantiges, echtes Montrose-Tannin, langes, saftig-kantiges Finale auf Noten frischer Beeren. Herrlich, hat Stil.* - 06/2018

WeinWisser – 19/20pts – RG: *67 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 29 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc. 37 % der Produktion wurden als Grand Vin selektioniert. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit ila und violetten Reflexen. Intensives Bouquet, geprägt von reifem und tiefgründigem Cabernet, Trüffelspuren, Brombeeren, aber auch dunklen Edelhölzern und Pumpernickelbrot, ergänzt durch Schwarzschokotöne. Schon das Nasenbild hat etwas Royales. Im Gaumen fest, beeindruckend, verlangend und somit eine umfassende Adstringenz zeigend, dunkles Malz, Lakritze, Szechuanpfeffer, rassig und kraftvoll. Und er zeigt jetzt schon seine Harmonie und Erhabenheit an. Er klang minutenlang nach. Grosses Montrose-Kino!*

JancisRobinson.com – 17+/20pts – JL: *67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Harvested 15 Sept to 8 Oct. Vincent Decup now (from 2014) technical director. Garnet hue. Elegant, perfumed nose with red and dark fruit and toasted notes to the fore. Palate fine, fresh and poised but less weight and intensity than the very best years. Tannins fine and overall good balance. Classic in its way.* - 11/2022

04/16: *Avec 36 % de sélection pour le grand vin en 2015 versus 47 % en 2014, Montrose obtient la première place de Saint-Estèphe dans ce millésime. Cette performance distingue auissi un terroir noble. Quant au style, c'est une version masculine de Saint-Estèphe. Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez fin, fruité, pur, avec une touche plus florale que de coutume. Précis dès l'entrée en bouche puis ample, le vin se met à fondre avec beaucoup de pureté dans la saveur et une trame subtile et sèveuse. Le déroulé est long, parfumé. C'est délicieux ! Bravo. Assemblage 67 % cabernet sauvignon, 29 % merlot, 4 % cabernet franc. Degré d'alcool 13.4°. pH 3.65. Les connaisseurs apprécieront de savoir que 14 % de vin de presse (c'est beaucoup) rentre dans l'assemblage. Une méthode bien médocaine pour densifier les vins quand ils en ont besoin. Vous aurez du mal à le croire, mais la rive droite ne la connaît pas et donc ne la pratique pas !* (95/100)

04/16: *Blueberry, black currant, fresh basil and lemon grass flavors. Full body, velvety tannins, clean finish.
Spices. Depth.* (93-94/100)

Vinous.com – 93 pts – AG: *The 2015 Montrose has developed very nicely over the last two years. As it showed from barrel, the 2015 is a relatively light-bodied wine for this site. Even so, all the elements are very nicely balanced throughout. I suspect the 2015 needs at least a handful of years to become fully expressive and will age for decades, although it will never be a huge wine in the style of viscerally thrilling vintages like 2014, 2016 and so many others. The 2015 is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in French oak, 30% new* - 12/2017

04/16: *This is a sumptuous wine with a fine structure that reveals its delicious fruit in layers of acidity and
black currants. Even more Cabernet than usual in the blend has made it a dark, firm and structured wine. The
juicy fruit shouldn´t deceive; this is a wine that will age slowly.* (94-96/100)

Vinous.com – 95 pts – NM: *The 2015 Montrose has a very intense bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, iodine and violet scents that blossom in the glass, demonstrating more exuberance than (what transpired to be) the 2015 Meyney. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very well judged acidity, taut and linear with satisfying freshness and poise on the finish. Maybe this just has the edge over the Meyney. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.* - 07/2019

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 97 pts – JL: *This is another gem that is much better from bottle than barrel. There is a smoky, spicy character to the waves of fruit on your palate. Full bodied, concentrated, long, fresh and clean, with a finish that stick with for at least 40 seconds. Comparing with the 2014, 2016 and 2017 over the years is going to make for a lot of fun tastings.* - 05/2018