2018 Montrose
By Chateau Montrose
2018 Montrose from Chateau Montrose, St-Estephe, Bordeaux
An exquisite example from the storied terroir of St-Estephe, the 2018 Montrose from Chateau Montrose encapsulates the essence of its hallowed grounds – a triumph of precision and poise in a year that asked much of its vignerons. Majestic in structure and intensely complex, this wine compels the seasoned investor to ponder the fascinating interplay between nature's whims and the winemaker's deft hand.
A Vintage Graced with Challenge and Triumph
The narrative of 2018 in Bordeaux is one of perilous beginnings with redemption wrought through human tenacity; a cataclysmic spring beset by hail gave way to a flawless summer. The meticulous stewardship of Chateau Montrose's team allowed their vines to transcend adversity, yielding fruit imbued with both the vigour of survival and the lush generosity offered by an almost unprecedentedly warm harvest period.
A Sensorial Ode to St-Estephe
This 2018 Montrose, a testament to the estate's resilience, presents an aromatic ballet of black currents, interlaced with spiced plum and an undercurrent of graphite - signatures of its classic lineage. With confrontation between elemental forces distilled into each sip, the palate reveals a supple tannin structure anchored by balanced acidity that promises remarkable ageing potential. The wine elegantly unfurls to unwind layers of complexity: dark cherries and tobacco notes give way to subtle hints of violet and cedar.
As a prominent figure in wine investment circles, this offering stands as a compelling canvass illustrating how vital stewardship cultivates splendour out of storms. With judicious allocation, this corporeal work of art is poised to adorn both cellars and portfolios alike.
A Culmination Worthy of Connoisseur Attention
The confluence of climatic adversity and human prowess renders the 2018 Montrose from Chateau Montrose a vintage not merely to be tasted, but deeply reflected upon. It promises to evolve magnificently within the alchemic confines of bottle and time, emerging as a jewel within one's investment collection, radiating not only with the brilliance inherited from its year of genesis but also with the expectation it bestows upon those who will witness its future crescendo.
Market price (CAD)
$2,340.00
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
78.33
Scores and tasting notes
This is a big and muscular wine with great structure and depth of fruit. Blackberry and blueberry character. Hints of fresh leaves. Cool earth. Incredible depth, yet so polished. Concentrated.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
The 2018 Montrose is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a good amount of air to unlock the vibrant scents of crushed blackberries, preserved plums and cassis with suggestions of star anise, cedar chest, underbrush, Indian spices and iron ore, plus an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate features the most exquisitely ripe tannins, offering a rock-solid backbone with tons of freshness lifting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Going back to this wine over a period of hours and then days further reveals a Montrose of great opulence, richness and depth. Incidentally, the IPT level this year is 82, which indicates a very high level of tannins, and yet they are so, so ripe. The alcohol is around 14.5%. But sit back, close your eyes and forget the numbers—this is pure hedonism in its youth with a fantastic 40+ years of cellaring ahead of it, during the course of which do not be at all surprised if you are blown away by a three-digit experience.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2021
Composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested from September 17 to October 5, the 2018 Montrose has a very deep purple-black color and opens with tantalizing notes of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake, hoisin and mocha with nuances of molten licorice, fertile loam, cast iron pan and incense. Big, rich, full and powerful in the mouth, the voluptuous fruit has a rock-solid backbone of very firm, very ripe tannins to match with tons of freshness and an epically long, exotic spice finish. A magnificent monster of a Montrose!
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019
This is wonderfully rich, with the precision of 2016 but the seductive quality of 2009. It feels architectural in the way that truly great vintages do in the Médoc, and it seems to have consumed its alcohol rather effortlessly. There's plenty of liquorice and exuberant but well buttoned-down brushed damson and cassis pit notes that maintain the signature of Montrose. You can see the concentration in the legs and in the depth of the colour. 20% press wine was added, which is typical here, but the vintage yielded an extremely low 25hl/ha, due partly to drought, partly to mildew and partly to coulure - with drought accounting for most of that/ The Cabernets were affected more than the Merlots because of the later harvesting (which ran from 17 September to 5 October), which meant careful sorting was essential. A good 3.7pH has definitely helped it maintain its balance and sense of minerality, but for me the 2016 remains the one to beat. 2% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Phenolic count of 81IPT.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
The 2018 Montrose balances finesse and power to a degree I don't think I have seen in a recent young Montrose. The 2018 has plenty of depth, intensity and thrust - all signatures of Montrose - but it also has a striking sense of elegance. Crème de cassis, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice meld together in the glass. Although it is naturally very young, the 2018 Montrose appears to have a tremendous future. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, which is to say more Cabernet and less Merlot than is the norm. Readers will have to be patient with the 2018, but it is a stellar wine in the making. Montrose presents an en primeur sample aged 100% in new oak (while the final wine is aging in 60% new barrels) to show a wine that is more ready to taste young.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019