MONTROSE 1999

Saturated red-ruby. Reticent, classic St. Estephe aromas of black cherry, licorice, tar and black pepper. Lush, rich and pliant in the mouth; ripe and full for the vintage but not at all sloppy, thanks to its firm backbone. Finishes with big mouthdusting tannins and very good length.

The 1999 Montrose is drinking very well, offering up rich aromas of black fruits, pipe tobacco, loamy soil and sweet new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and open-knit palate that's nevertheless framed by chewy, somewhat old-school tannins. With its serious structure, it's one of the more muscular, concentrated (and likely long-lived) wines of the vintage, though it naturally doesn't exhibit as much depth as vintages such as 1995, 1996 or 2000.