Chateau Montrose 2014

JAMES SUCKLING: "Incredible aromas of currants, blackberries, slate and flowers. Full-bodied yet so tight and beautiful with superb polish and brightness. The length is fantastic. Truly superb. Drink in 2021."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This is a very fine wine showing a new level of quality at Montrose. With its almost velvet tannins inside the intense black fruits, the wine is rich, smooth and generous. Blackberry and black-plum fruits are to the fore along with the fine acidity and great structure. A wine to age for decades, it will be ready to drink from 2027."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Tasted at the château, the 2014 Montrose builds on the promise it showed in barrel with gorgeous blackberry, raspberry, cedar and orange sorbet scents that are extremely pure and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very precise acidity and layers of crisp black fruit laced with vanilla from the new oak at the moment. That will be subsumed in time. What you have here is a very precise, multi-layered, almost sensual Montrose that is going to delight many for years to come. This is highly recommended—one of the finest Left Bank wines this vintage. Tasted September 2016."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "This is a super wine, and due to the uneven reputation of the vintage, it sells for a very fair price. However, the wine is already starting to shut down, so if you are thinking of tasting a bottle in its youth, to get the most out of the fresh, sweet, earthy, tobacco and cassis charms, full body and regal tannins, I suggest you pop a cork on this before the year runs out."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is seriously built, with an admirable core of red and black currant paste and bitter plum fruit inlaid with notes of tobacco, bay and smoldering charcoal. The finish is ramrod straight thanks to an iron girder supporting everything with ease. A tremendous effort for the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035."

WEINWISSER: "61 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 8 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. 47 % Grand Vin. Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Verhaltenes, leicht hölzern wirkendes Bouquet, mehr Gewürze als Frucht zeigend. Im zweiten Ansatz Edelhölzer, dominikanischer Tabak und Pfefferkörner. Es ist aber schwer, von der Nase her, viel über den Wein zu sagen. Im Gaumen ein massiver Tanninbrocken, wobei diese Gerbstoffe dann doch erste Rundungen zeigen und versuchen, wenigstens etwas verhaltenen Frühcharme zu vermitteln. Die Aromen scheinen noch irgendwo im Innern verbogen zu sein. Ein introvertierter Montrose, der wohl erst in ein paar Jahren so richtig zeigen wird, wohin seine Evolutionsreise gehen wird. Auf alle Fälle geht er in Richtung «streng», respektive grosse Klassik. Wer einen besonders lagerfähigen Wein für seine in diesem Jahr geborenen Kinder sucht, der ist hier auf lange Sicht bestens bedient. Er ist aber schwer zu verkosten, weil die Aromen ganz im Innersten verharren!"