Château Monbousquet - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2017 6b11bd6ba9341f0271941e7df664d056

Jeb DUNNUCK

90-92 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe6/12/2018

The top wine from this estate of the Perse Family is the 2017 Monbousquet. The 2017 is the normal blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in roughly 70% new barrels. While the estate kept the blend (and quality) the same as past years, they had to make a draconian selection and lost two-thirds of the production. A more medium-bodied, elegant example of this cuvée, it has rock solid notes of black cherries, cassis, graphite, and spring flowers. Seamless, elegant, and silky on the palate, with terrific purity, it’s going to gain weight with time in bottle and should easily be an outstanding wine that’s more than worth checking out.

Vinifera

90 / 100

byJacques Perrinthe5/28/2018

Exubérant, sur l’orange sanguine et un côté truffé ; la bouche est fuselée, plutôt allongée, le tanin ferme sur la finale. L’élevage contribuera à lui donner de la chair et de la finesse.

Vinous

88-91 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/15/2018

The 2017 Monbousquet is promising. Dense and concentrated in the glass, the 2017 has a lovely streak of freshness to pay off the racy fruit. Super ripe dark cherry, blueberry, grave, smoke and mocha are laced into the powerful, explosive finish in this super-expressive Monbousquet.

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92 / 100

byJeff Levethe5/11/2018

Incense, red cherries, thyme and smoke open the wine. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, full, velvety, polished and forward. The fruit is bright and you sense true freshness. The percentage of new oak has dropped to 50%, placing the fruit center stage.

Vinous

87-89 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/1/2018

The 2017 Monbousquet, which is matured in new oak, was picked from 18 to 22 September. It has a broody nose of dark berry fruit, a little earthy in style, certainly less opulent than previous vintages and missing a little harmony. The palate is medium-bodied, quite masculine and rustic in style with a smear of dark chocolate towards the finish that feels a little disjointed with the fruit. Despite their efforts this vintage is compromised by the frost and it should be consumed over the next four or five years.

Wine Advocate

89-91 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/27/2018

This vineyard was significantly hit by frost, but I was told there was no use of second-generation fruit. Composed of 60% Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Monbousquet is profoundly scented of baked plums, blackberry pie and mincemeat pie with touches of mocha, unsmoked cigars and tilled black earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with seamless freshness and tons of black fruit and exotic spice layers coming through on the long finish.

Decanter.com

88 / 100

byJane Ansonthe4/25/2018

This has a floral edge to the nose, then gathers speed with an intense weight to the body. You can see there is clever winemaking at play here, but the finish seems to twist in on itself, and the 50% new oak is not letting the fruit speak. A difficult year with frost affecting the vines, grown on sandy gravel soils, yielding just 16hl/ha.

Drinking Window 2026 - 2038

Jean-Marc QUARIN

14,75 / 20

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/17/2018

Wine Enthusiast

92-94 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/17/2018

This is a bold wine, full of structure and dense tannins. It has layers of black fruits, juicy acidity and a ripe, chocolate-coffee character. This producer is now producing great wines with richness and concentration.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/6/2018

Tight and linear with dark berries and hints of toasted oak. Medium-to full-bodied, chewy and long.

Wine Spectator

89-92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/4/2018

Bright and fresh, featuring floral lift, a bright savory streak and light tobacco and cedar hints mixed with a core of cassis and cherry preserves. Easy to approach, with crunchy acidity. Shows the textbook profile of the vintage.—J.M.