Château Monbousquet - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2013

Wine Advocate

87 / 100

byNeal Martinthe10/28/2016

The 2013 Monbousquet has a fragrant, pretty bouquet with crisp black cherries and boysenberry fruit, a touch of spice with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a little dustiness on the entry, red and black fruit here, quite firm and "solid" in the mouth. It is less supple than other Saint Emilions and at the moment there is just a metallic tincture on the finish that imparts a touch of sourness. That might be remedied with a couple of years in bottle - we will see.

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

the3/31/2016

Jamessuckling.com

91 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2016

A beautiful elegant red with chocolate, plum and hints of spice and wood. Medium body, lovely texture and a delicious finish. Elegant and enjoyable. Drink now.

Wine Advocate

88-90 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

Once again, Monbousquet has turned out a sleeper of the vintage. The soft, delicious, ripe 2013 offers up notes of cedarwood, Christmas fruitcake, cherries, baking spices and red and black currants. A lovely, round, fruit-forward, medium-bodied effort with supple tannins, an elegant style, and 7-10 years of life ahead of it. The final blend was 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the natural alcohol achieved 13.18%.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

86-89 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/16/2014

Medium red.  Sexy aromas of red berries, licorice and aromatic herbs are lifted by a floral topnote.  Silky-sweet, dense and sappy, with lovely definition and an intriguing earthy complexity to the red berry and flint flavors.  The persistent finish features late, building tannins. 

timatkin.com

92 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe5/7/2014

I often prefer this wine, from sandy, gravelly soils, to Gérard Perse’s top wine, Château Pavie, and that’s the case here. It’s light and aromatic, with easy going tannins, sweet red fruits and a mineral tang. Forward and winningly medium bodied.

matthewjukes.com

15 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/23/2014

(60 Merlot, 30 Cabernet Franc, 10 Cabernet Sauvignon) 29 hl/ha, 13.2% alc. Very herbal, tannic and forced. There is far too much extraction and brawn here and nowhere near enough juiciness. Brutally tannic, when it could have been so much better with softer handling!

Jancis Robinson

15,5 / 20

byRichard Hemmingsthe4/22/2014

Blackcurrant and spice. Dominant oak. Furry tannins – not exactly aggressive, but prominent. Bitter, juniper character on the length.

Vinous

89-91 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/18/2014

Sweet red berries, plums, spices, scorched earth, tobacco, mint and flowers meld together in the 2013 Monbousquet. Darker notes develop as the wine sits in the glass. Tar, smoke and dark plums flesh out in the resonant, juicy finish. The blend is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted three times.

Decanter.com

15,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/15/2014

Summer fruit notes. Fruit-forward attack but dry, chewy finish. A touch too much  extraction?

My Bettane + Desseauve

16,5 / 20

the4/15/2014

Gras et ample avec de l’intensité. Fruit précis et onctueux, belle saveur franche.

Wine Advocate

86-88 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2014

Cropped at 29hl/ha, the Monbousquet 2013 has a pretty bouquet with blackcurrant aromas laced with cedar blossoming in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. This is a masculine Monbousquet with a slight "soot" note towards the very structured finish. It is a little charmless at the moment and is missing its usual flair. This just feels severe compared to some of Gérard Perse's other crus this year.

Jamessuckling.com

87-88 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/8/2014

A refined, fresh red with minerals and fresh fruit including raspberries. Medium body, crisp finish. Drink or hold.      

Wine Spectator

88-91 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2014

This has a fleshy core of raspberry and plum sauce flavors, integrated with the red licorice and fruitcake notes. Features ample toast on the finish but the stuffing is there. A solid effort for the vintage. —J.M.

Wine Enthusiast

/ 100

byRoger Vossthe3/31/2014

 Here’s a firm, rather austere wine, with chocolate flavors and dark tannins. It has some bitterness as well as a firm structure. The finish shows more of the fruit potential.