Château Montrose is probably the most in-form property on the left bank of Bordeaux, with perhaps only Pichon Lalande giving it a run for its money within its peer group. Its recent run of form began with the 100 point 2009 and 2010 vintages (both made by the man now taking Pichon Lalande to new heights, Nicolas Glumineau) and this run continues with 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. In each of these years Montrose have produced a clear contender for the wine of the vintage.
2020 Château Montrose is one of the peaks thus far. Overall winner at the Southwold tasting (in 2019 it came second only to Latour), it has five 99 point scores from the major critics and the perfect 100 from the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley.
Kelley writes “Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making”, continuing “It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009”. This is particularly impressive, as anyone lucky enough to have recently tasted 2009 Montrose will affirm. In his previous note on the same wine he writes “this will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Médoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth".
Neal Martin, scoring it 99 points, writes “This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage”
Our own Thomas Parker MW is also 99 points (tasting blind, that might be where the extra point went): “Another stellar showing for a wine shaping up as contender for wine of the vintage…This is a powerhouse, unerring in intensity yet incredibly precise and sophisticated. Outstanding, and built to age for decades”.
At £1,700 per dozen in bond, this looks like a compelling buy. At roughly a third of the price of Lafite and less than half the price of Mouton, Margaux and Haut-Brion, it is first growth quality without the first growth price tag.
Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009. Drink 2030-2100.
Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009. This will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Médoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth. Drink 2030 - 2065.
The 2020 Montrose was bottled in July 2022. The alcohol is 13.4%, a whole degree less than the previous year but with the same concentration (IPT is 80). It has a fabulous bouquet that delivers on all that promise from when I finally tasted the wine around a year earlier from barrel, a cornucopia of blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, Indian ink and loamy/undergrowth scents. Very mercurial in the glass, it seems to shapeshift with every minute. The palate is medium-bodied with such a precise entry. This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage. Drink 2025-2065.
Tasted blind at the Southwold Group 2020 tasting. Another stellar showing for a wine shaping up as contender for wine of the vintage. Deep, glistening purple in the glass, the nose is just fantastic for such a young wine. Pure and intense cassis fruit is layered with sophisticated, integrated wood spice, graphite, cedar and hedgerow. The palate is bursting with fruit and has real energy, everything is beautifully in sync. Bright acids and rich, mouthcoating tannins come together and persist throughout. These offset the ripe, pure blackcurrant fruit that dominates the fruit core. Together with this come layers of savoury spice, soy, black truffle, more graphite and cedar. This is a powerhouse, unerring in intensity yet incredibly precise and sophisticated. Outstanding, and built to age for decades.
The nose is really fantastic with lead pencil shavings, iron shavings, blackcurrants and lavender. Full- to medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Wonderful persistence and personality. Juicy and savory finish. Always classy and sophisticated at the end. Organically grown grapes. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Montrose strides confidently out of the glass with classic scents of cassis, pencil shavings, and plum preserves followed by wafts of violets, tilled soil, and tapenade with a touch of wood smoke. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with loads of black fruit and savory layers and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with epic length and a refreshing lift.
This is up there with the best wines that I have tasted in the vintage. Beautifully balanced, classically refined but profound, delivering nuanced waves of cassis, blackberry puree, peony, pomegrante, mandarin peel, graphite, smoked sandalwood, incense. There is exceptional softness yet density to the tannins, such a confident structure overall and the build up on the tannins through the palate is so slow and careful that it is only at the end of play that you become aware of just how big a vintage it is. Clear ageing potential, easy to love, very easy to recommend. 12% press wine. Vincent Decup technical director. 40% of production in the 1st wine.
