William Kelley has called Château Montrose a “de facto first growth” in recent years. There is no doubting the property’s rise from an already strong second growth into the top echelon of Bordeaux’s left bank since the Bouygues takeover in 2006. The financial prowess of the owners – known for telecoms but most successful in construction – together with an eye for hiring the right people, has made this Saint Estèphe one of the Médoc’s most coveted, consistent wines.
Last week I had the chance to attend tastings on both the 2020 vintage (held by the Institute of Masters of Wine) and the 2022 vintage (with the Union des Grands Crus) on the same day. While tasting over 100 samples of serious young Bordeaux is punishing on the palate, the opportunity to compare the wines in depth informed where and how these two highly rated vintages converge and differ.
