Château Montrose - Saint-Estèphe 2013

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

byNeal Martinthe10/28/2016

The 2013 Montrose has an understated, lilting bouquet with blackberry and briary scents and dried rose petals, gaining more intensity as it opens over 2-3 minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. It shows good weight in the mouth, quite linear and masculine (typical for Montrose) but there is respectable detail and mineralité coming through on the satisfying finish. Not a top tier Montrose, but then again, why would it be in this difficult vintage. It will still give pleasure over the next 12-15 years.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

the3/31/2016

Jamessuckling.com

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2016

Aromas of black currant and dried flowers such as violets. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a delicate. Fruity finish. Seamless tannins. Drink now.

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

No Cabernet Franc was included in the final blend of the 2013 Montrose, which is composed of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot. It is a dark ruby-hued, pleasant, charming, fruit-forward, but superficial effort. There is an absence of tannic strength, and the acidity seems adequate and unobtrusive. This is a pleasant, straightforward, fluid Montrose to drink in its first 7-10 years of life. The 2013 harvest at Montrose was very early because of the pressure from high humidity and the fear of rot.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

88-91 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/16/2014

(68% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot and 3% petit verdot):  Bright ruby-red.  Perfumed red fruit aromas are complicated by peppermint and flint on the pure nose.  Crisp and fresh, with vibrant flavors similar to the aromas, but hard as nails now.  Finishes long, tight and austere, with a steely minerality and a violet topnote.  Given Montrose's track record for gaining in volume and flesh while aging in the bottle, I am hopeful that this will develop more charm and sweetness in the process.  Very clean and precise:  Montrose had fewer botrytis problems than most other Medoc estates thanks to the windy conditions on the plateau where this estate's vineyards are located.

timatkin.com

92 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe5/7/2014

By the high standards of this château, this has to count as a slight disappointment, even in a complicated vintage. It’s a savoury, compact wine, with firmish tannins, sensitive oak and good concentration, but it just needs a little more fruit.

matthewjukes.com

16,5 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/23/2014

(68 Cabernet Sauvignon, 29 Merlot, 3 Petit Verdot) Stern with a curious red fruit core. Not very expressive. Blunt, blocky and rather dense, this is a closed and quite short Montrose with no real happiness let alone a charming welcome. Too short and a little too cramped. Interestingly, they avoided the massive rains on 4th October, but this clearly didn’t improve the friendliness of the final wine! It will evolve though, albeit slowly and no doubt find harmony in due course.

Vinous

91-94 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/17/2014

Graphite, camphor, incense, tobacco, smoke and game burst from the glass in the 2013 Montrose. A dark, brooding wine, the 2013 boasts notable depth and tannin considering its mid-weight structure. The 2013 will require at least a few years to come together. Graphite, scorched earth, sage and rosemary are some of the notes that inform the intense finish. This has real density for the year. Based on two tastings so far, the 2013 Montrose is making a very strong case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, with quite a bit more Cabernet than the more typical 55%. Tasted twice.

Jancis Robinson

17,5 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/16/2014

Drink 2019-27http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201404153.html

My Bettane + Desseauve

16,5 / 20

the4/15/2014

Vin de parfait équilibre, avec une texture très fine et une qualité de tannin très fondue. Le raisin a été récolté très mûr pour l’année, seul le corps montre un très léger déficit, peut-être est-ce l’effet trompeur d’une bonne proportion de merlot. L’avenir confirmera ou infirmera.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2014

The Grand Vin represents 60% of production and is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a fragrant nose, quite ripe and somehow akin to a Saint Julien than a Saint Estephe as there is little trace of that telltale earthiness at the moment (and it is not geosmin). There is a hint of green bell pepper in the background and that become exaggerated by aeration but it is an attractive component. I wonder how this will play out during élevage? The palate is full-bodied with a firm grip. There are quite furry tannins here, a solid Montrose, a little charmless in its youth as is often the case, but exhibiting fine persistency on the bullish finish. You actually warm to it the longer it lingers, gathering momentum so to speak, so I'm keeping the faith.

Decanter.com

18 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/14/2014

Dense black-red, cassis and some tobacco, spicy, almost taffeta texture over  classically firm Montrose fruit, great clarity of expression, very fine.

Jamessuckling.com

91-92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/8/2014

A firm Montrose with very silky tannins and a pretty acid-fruit balance. Full body. Integrated and seamless for the vintage. Spicy undertones. A blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot and 3% petit verdot.      

Wine Enthusiast

95-97 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/3/2014

This wine is complex, ripe and powerful. The power is complemented by the velvet texture that gives it roundness as well as richness. The acidity cuts right through this impressive wine.                

René Gabriel

18 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/3/2014

68 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 39 % Merlot , 3 % Petit Verdot. 60 % wurden als Grand Vin selektioniert. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Defensiver Beginn, floral, tabakig, fein jodig schwarzer Pfeffer, Teer und etwas Korinthen, zurückhaltend, ja fast reserviert. Im Gaumen erhaben, gute Fleischrationen zeigend, blaubeerige Früchte, Lakritze. Ein introvertierter Montrose Klassiker mit mittlerem Druck, ab er langem Rückaroma. Geht in Richtung 1994, 1998, 2004. Könnte bei 19/20 landen. Ist aber so schon auf jeden Fall der beste Saint Estèphe!

Wine Spectator

90-93 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2014

Pure, with a whiff of sage lining the core of plum, red currant and black cherry fruit. Light tobacco and warm stone shadings appear on the supple finish. Well done. —J.M.