MONTROSE 2010

The 2010 Château Montrose is just now starting to drink well, though bottles from my cellar remain stubbornly backward and closed. This showing, however, revealed rocking levels of cassis, graphite, spring flowers, crushed stone, and spicy leather. Full-bodied, incredibly pure, and balanced, it has a seamless mouthfeel, tons of ripe tannins, and a gorgeous, layered finish. It’s a riveting, multi-dimensional Montrose that ranks with the true greats of the vintage. It deserves another decade of bottle age and will see the turn of the century in fine form. Drink 2035-2100.

Rock solid, displaying a dense core of plum, steeped currant and braised fig fruit, with racy charcoal and ganache notes. Intensely chalky, offering flesh and refinement to match the bracing minerality, this shows hints of grilled savory, iron, warm paving stone and bitter orange on the riveting finish. Should age very slowly. Best from 2019 through 2038.

(a blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot) Deep inky-purple colour. Enticing aromas of pure floral blackberry, blueberry and minerals. Enters big, dense and suave, showing rich, almost viscous red and black fruit flavors complicated by dried herbs, tobacco, and minerals. The very long finish showcases some youthfully chewy tannins that could use a bit more polish. This large-scale Montrose is a bit chunky at present and quite backward; it will need plenty of time in the cellar but should prove to be very ageworthy (30+ years), although it's not nearly as thrilling as the splendid 2009 made here. The harvest at Montrose took place from September 27 to October 15, and the wine avoids any hint of overripeness, but flowering was somewhat uneven. Incidentally, Montrose bought a parcel of vines from Phelan-Segur last year, and this year one-third of the grapes from those 22 hectares went into the grand vin This explains the slight increase in the percentages of cabernet franc and merlot in the final blend, as these varieties were well represented in the purchased hectares.

A perfumed and pure Montrose, with lots of currants, berries and spices that evolve to chocolate and light coffee. Full body, with super racy tannins and bright and clean finish. Very fine and structured. A balance and freshness to it all as well as beautiful form and tension. Try in 2018.

This is considered to be among the greatest vintages ever made in Montrose, right up with the 1929, 1945, 1947, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 and 2009. Harvest was October 15 to 17. The wine has really come on since I last tasted it, and it needs at least another 10 years of cellaring. The blend was 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine is opaque black/blue, with an incredible nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, with hints of incense, licorice, and acacia flowers. Tannins are incredibly sweet and very present. The wine is full-bodied, even massive, with great purity, depth and a finish that goes on close to a minute. This is a 50- to 75-year-old wine that will repay handsomely those with good aging genes. (Note: The Chateau Montrose website gives an aging potential of 2020-2100.)