Critic Review
Squares & Circles: Bordeaux ‘10 At Ten (Apr 2020)
The 2010 Montrose boasts a killer bouquet with beautifully delineated black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. With time its sous-bois scents become more prominent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a little grainy in texture with fine acidity. This is a masculine and broody Saint-Estèphe that will need another decade in bottle to shave its edges. But what immense structure and density. Fantastic. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting.
Neal Martin - 99
The 2010 Clarets: A Modern Classic (Jul 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.
Stephen Tanzer - 94
The Bordeaux Soundtrack: Icons at Legacy Records (May 2024)
The 2010 Montrose is one of the highlights of the Icons of Bordeaux dinner. It has a show-stopper nose with powerful, intense, mineral-rich black fruit, becoming quite floral with aeration. Potpourri hints complement tobacco notes. The palate is fresh, vibrant and weighty, yet paradoxically, it has wonderful finesse. There is a symmetry about this Montrose, coupled with a tremendous length that leaves you wanting more. Brilliant. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York.
Neal Martin - 99
Vinous Table: Private Dinner at Wheeler Farms, Saint Helena, CA (Feb 2023)
The 2010 Montrose is insanely beautiful. A vivid, eternal wine, the 2010 dazzles right out of the gate with its explosive energy. Soaring floral and mineral notes are immediately captivating on the bouquet. All that carries through to the palate, where the wine is dense and expansive. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled. This really benefits from aeration. What a wine!
Antonio Galloni - 100
Bordeaux 2010: All That Glitters... (May 2011)
(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.
Ian d'Agata - 91-94
Squares & Circles: Bordeaux ‘10 At Ten (Apr 2020)
The 2010 Montrose has an outstanding bouquet with graphite infused black fruit, cedar and tobacco, extremely well focused and seeming to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with perfect acidity, gentle grip, bestowed with an unerring symmetry. It is endowed with fine body and it fans out wonderfully on the persistent finish. Outstanding. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.
Neal Martin - 98
