Château Montrose - Saint-Estèphe 2010 6b11bd6ba9341f0271941e7df664d056

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

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.)

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

94 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe8/31/2013

Bright, deep ruby-red.  Superripe, deep aromas of black raspberry, cassis, plum, minerals, licorice and bitter chocolate.  Densely packed, elegant and classically dry, with creamy depth of dark fruit and mineral flavors given definition and cut by terrific vinosity.  This compellingly pure, extract-rich wine showed increasing energy as it opened in the glass.  Finishes with big, dusty tannins and outstanding length and perfume.  A great vintage for Montrose, in a modern style.  Following the first couple vintages made under the direction of Jean Delmas, the '09 and '10 have shown considerably more stuffing.  I would not be at all surprised if my score proved to be overly conservative. 94 (+?) points

Wine Spectator

97 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2013

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. –JM

Wine Advocate

99 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe3/1/2013

The 2010 Montrose is a fabulous wine, and I was leaning toward giving it a three-digit score, which it may ultimately merit after it resolves some of its very sweet tannin. It is not as soft or flamboyant as the 2009, but it is a great classic, coming in at 13.9% natural alcohol. Representing 64% of the total production, the final blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (which is one percent different than the barrel sample blends that were presented). Inky bluish/purple in color, with classic blueberry, black currant, crushed rock and floral notes, hints of graphite, and lots of wild mountain berry fruit, this wine is extravagantly rich, has very sweet but noticeable tannin, laser-like precision, a massive, full-bodied mouthfeel and a finish of close to 50+ seconds. This remarkable wine will probably tighten up somewhat in the bottle, and need most of a decade to shed some tannin and its rather grapy, primary personality. The finish blew me away, and the overall power, richness and balance of this wine are virtually perfect. Look for it to drink well for half a century or more. 

Although Jean Delmas remains a consultant at Montrose, he has yielded his primary responsibilities over to a younger staff, but he still believes the 2010 Montrose is one of the all-time great wines ever produced at this estate, equaling or exceeding the quality of the 1929, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1989, 1990 or 2009.

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe2/7/2013

The Chateau Montrose has a dense, broody bouquet with tarry black fruit, cedar and a touch of pencil shavings. It speaks of Saint Estèphe but with a Pauillac accent. The palate is medium-bodied with bold, firm, almost obdurate tannins. This is a very classic Montrose, strict and focused, broody with dry tannins and plenty of tertiary black fruit that linger long in the mouth. Think. Long. Term.  Tasted November 2012 (96 +)

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2013

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

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

the5/31/2011

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 64% Grand Vin. 45hl/ha. Dichtes Purpur mit lila schimmer in der Mitte, fein rubiner Rand aussen. Reserviertes Bouquet, florale Cabernet-noten, schwarze Pfefferkörner, Havanna-Tabak. Kompakter Gaumen, rote Pflaumenschalen, ein Hauch Dörrfrüchte, dunkle Hölzer, noch mehlige Tannine, wie immer mit sehr vielversprechendem Potenzial bestückt. Kein grosser Kommunikator und deshalb vielleicht unterschätzt. Seine hohe Punktezahl wird er erst in 20 Jahren erstmals beweisen können. 2028-2055

Wine Advocate

96-99 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/31/2011

2010 Montrose: Jean Delmas believes this is one of the all-time great wines of Montrose, comparable to the 2009, 1990, 1989, 1959, 1947, 1945 and 1929. The 2010 harvest took place between September 27 and October 15, and the final blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that achieved 13.75% natural alcohol, a fraction above the 2009's 13.7%. Somewhat reminiscent of the 1989, only even inkier and richer, the 2010 boasts a dense purple color along with glorious aromatics of blueberries, boysenberries, black currants and a crushed chalk-like minerality. The tannins are less intrusive than I would have suspected for such a young Montrose, but they are unquestionably ripe and well-integrated. Deep, full-bodied and massive, this beauty should be at its finest between 2018-2050. Drink 2018-2050 (96-99+ points)

Asian Palate

94-97 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe5/24/2011

The very classy 2010 Montrose is a deep ruby purple, offering up notes of ripe blackberries, plums, blackberries, cedar and tobacco, supported by a seductive array of blackberry, tobacco and tealeaf flavours, and lovely full ripe tannins that are fine and seamless. Another fabulous vintage for Montrose, this is a more classic and restrained style compared with the 2009.

Le Point

17,5-18 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/12/2011

Fruits noirs, épices, bouche soyeuse, allongée ; vin frais, élégant, long, petite remontée en finale, tanins de très grande qualité. O=2019 G=25 ans

Jamessuckling.com

95-96 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/30/2011

This is really integrated and polished, with a full body and super layers of cashmere-like tannins. Goes on and on. 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Wine Spectator

95-98 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/30/2011

Dense and dark, with a massive core of roasted fig, blackberry, espresso and bittersweet cocoa flavors followed by rapier tannins that drive through the finish. This has both richness and austerity. When it all comes together fully, this should be a superb wine. —J.M.

TAST

18-19 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2011

Vin de très grande envergure, très charpenté, dense, profond, complexe. La part relativement importante de merlot (un petit tiers) lui donne sa chair particulière mais aussi une forme moins nettement dessinée à ce stade que celle de ses deux prestigieux voisins. La fusion avec les cabernets semble un peu plus lente que prévue. Mais je suis sûr que dans six mois à un an il aura rejoint les plus grands.

Decanter Magazine

18 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/30/2011

Elegant, quite reserved fruit, quite discreet now, will gain in length, but less exciting than 2009. Drink 2020-35. (18 points)

The Wine Cellar Insider

95-96 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/25/2011

Montrose - From a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and a smidgen of Petit Verdot, this represents 64% of the production. Opaque in color, with a nose of coffee, blackberry liqueur, cassis and spice, this is a powerful, dense, massive, tannic wine. Firm and structured, the wine paints your palate with a wall of fruit, tannin and acidity. This big wine will require decades to develop. 95-96 Pts

Wine Enthusiast

95-97 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/8/2011

Such a powerful wine, although with rounded flavours, very ripe in character. The wine has chocolate and dark coffee flavours to go with the juicy fruit. The acidity gives just the right balance.-R.V.