| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Estèphe |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Originally rated 96, this wine confirmed its early rating, although again, the backwardness and still very obvious tannins suggest another 7- to 8-year wait. Dense ruby/purple, with a bouquet of blueberry, crushed rock, and some floral notes, the wine is medium to full-bodied , rich, powerful, but again very tannic and still strikingly youthful. For a wine that is already 10 years of age, it remains infantile. This blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is indeed a special wine and should hit its prime in about 2020 and last at least 30 years afterward.
I feel this vintage has been overshadowed by subsequent releases such as the 2005 and 2009, but do not ignore fantastic, quite structured but delicious millennial Clarets like this. This Montrose has just started drinking but will give another couple of decades pleasure.
This is dense and inky in colour with a nose that has layers of soft tobacco combined with rich cassis fruits and liquorice. On the palate, it just powers on through, with completely melted tannins that are holding up the fruit gently but firmly and a mouthwatering finish of slate and salty caramel. It’s a gorgeous wine with so much to enjoy - full and just starting to stride forward into the next stage of its life as all of the 2000s in the line-up are. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Harvest 22 September to 7 October.
Mid crimson. Meaty and toasty on the nose but a mite restrained on the palate. Lots of iron filings. Needs lots of time. This sure is archetypal St-Estèphe! Very chewy still. Drink 2015 - 2035.
The 2000 Montrose is a straight-up gorgeous bottle of wine that while, still young, is offering up tons of pleasure. Classic Saint Estèphe notes of blackcurrants, damp earth, tobacco leaf, cedar, and hints of truffle all emerge from this dense, concentrated, powerful red that has the classic 2000 structure and richness. With sweet tannins, full body, impeccable balance, and a great, great finish, it’s at the early stages of its drink window and has another 3+ decades of longevity ahead of it.
Tasted at the vertical in London, the question was whether the 2000 Montrose would be paradigmatic of a vintage whereby the wines have remained sullen and broody in their youth. On this occasion, to my surprise I found it more open than the 2005 (which admittedly is not saying that it's open for business!). It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot picked from 22 September to 7 October. I afforded it a couple of hours in the glass and it responded with plenty of pure ripe blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of cold slate and even charcoal emerging with time. The palate is not as complex as the aforementioned 2005, yet there is wonderful backbone and focus; towards the finish there is a sense of suppleness and refinement that might make this absolutely delicious in 5-7 years' time. Perhaps the 2000 has been usurped by subsequent releases in 2005, 2009 and 2010, but do not be surprised if it evolves into a regal Montrose. Tasted June 2016.
The 2000 Montrose is the finest effort produced since the compelling 1990 and 1989. Gigantically sized, its saturated inky purple colour is followed by a huge nose of crushed blackberries, creme de cassis, vanilla, hickory smoke, and minerals. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, dense, and chewy, this unreal Montrose should last for 30+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2040
