| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Estèphe |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
For many years I have vehemently argued that the 1989 Montrose is a benchmark wine for the estate. Having tasted it several times over the last couple of months, I have never found a single occasion to alter that view. Tasted at the vertical in London, it continues to shine, having never lost any of its luster in recent years. It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that was picked from 11 to 28 September. Lucid in color, the aromatics do not hold back with vibrant blackberry, blueberry and black truffle, hints of sous-bois, all with sensational precision that few can match in this vintage (indeed, its precision lends it a veneer of modernity since "precision" is now more commonplace across Bordeaux). The palate is brilliantly balanced with filigree tannin. There is wonderful backbone here, extremely fresh and tensile, crystalline even with an exceptional detail, mineral-rich finish that lingers in the mouth. Difficult to fault, this might well be the greatest 1989 Montrose that I have tasted, and certainly wishing to take nothing away from the 1990 Montrose that I tasted alongside, the 1989 is now the one I would pick. Is this the greatest Saint Estèphe of the 1980s? I would put it within the top five Bordeaux of the 1980s. Could this be inching its way to perfection??? Tasted June 2016. Drink 2016 - 2060.
The 1989 Montrose, from a very warm, dry year, is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-brick in color (holding its color amazingly!) it sky-rockets from the glass with flamboyant notes of black cherry compote, blueberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, followed by notes of star anise, peonies, crushed rocks, and tar, plus exotic hints of cardamom and cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, opulent, and well structured, delivering firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous, wonderfully pure fruit, finishing long and earthy. This is textbook Montrose.
Another magnificent wine is the 1989 Château Montrose, which might now be at a stage where in some tastings it may eclipse the faster-maturing and more evolved 1990. This was youthful, young and earthy, with copious quantities of black fruits, stunning richness and a full-bodied mouthfeel and finish. This could easily go on for another 25-30+ years.
The 1989 Montrose can be a magical wine, even if huge variation between bottles makes it something of a minefield for anyone with an aversion to the animal aromatic signatures of Brettanomyces yeasts. This particular example was one of the best I have had (and as one of the best Bordeaux from my birth year, it is a wine I have drunk several dozen times), offering up rich aromas of cassis, dark berries, black truffle, pencil lead, espresso toast and rich soil tones, followed by a full-bodied, ample and layered palate that's broad, sensual and enveloping, framed by sweet, powdery tannins. In fact, my handwritten notes include the words, "best bottle ever!"
Montrose 1989 is rightly a legend of the Médoc. I have been fortunate to drink it on many occasions and it has, at time, been deserving of its 100-point score. Now nearly 36 years old, it has entered the "great bottles rather than great wines" stage of its life. Tasted over three different bottles which were all showing well but with different characters, the essence of this wine remains its muscular black fruit, wild game and graphite tones. The broad-shouldered structure still shows on the palate, but everything is ripe and well-integrated. Smoky, savoury and showing notes of bonfire and liquorice, it is mellowing and starting to move into its final phase of maturity. If you strike gold with an absolutely perfect bottle I expect it still merits the perfect score, but with nearly four decades on the clock it is still consistently showing quality worthy of scores in the high 90s, and that is no mean feat.
This was not in the tasting at the chateau, but I opened two bottles on my return home, because this is another near-perfect wine from Montrose. It is an unusual two-grade blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The wine emerged from another very hot, sunny, dry growing season, with early, generous flowering. Harvest in Montrose took place between September 11 and 28. The wine has never had any issues with brett, making it a somewhat safer selection than the more irregular 1990. Like a tortoise, the 1989 has finally begun to rival and possibly eclipse its long-time younger sibling, the 1990. The wine is absolutely spectacular and in auction sells for a much lower premium than the 1990. That should change. This is a magnificent Montrose, showing notes of loamy soil undertones, intermixed with forest floor, blueberry and blackberry liqueur and spring flowers. It has a full-bodied, intense, concentrated mouthfeel that is every bit as majestic as the 1990, but possibly slightly fresher and more delineated. This great wine should drink well for another 40-50 years.
1989 Château Montrose stole the show. A wine of unreal depth, it is armed with a powerful personality that glides across the mouth like liquid silk. A seductively sensual wine, it drowns the palate in waves of seamless dark fruits. One of the greatest Saint-Estèphes I've ever tasted, this wine will give the 1990 Montrose a run for its money when both are at full maturity! To me there are six great left bank 1989s, Lynch-Bages, Pichon-Baron, Palmer, La Mission-Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion, and the aforementioned Montrose. 98 points.
It possesses an opaque dark ruby/purple color, a sweet nose of minerals, black fruits,cedar, and wood, dense, medium- to full-bodied, highly extracted flavors, low acidity, and moderate tannin in the low finish. It has layers of sweet fruit as well as an elevated level of glycerin.
