Montrose - Saint-Estèphe 2022

Alexandre Ma

100

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

Château Montrose 2022 is the epoch-defining masterpiece I had envisioned, a wine exuding energy, tension, wildness, and power, while simultaneously maintaining a humble demeanor. It is a flourishing flower of life, nurtured by passion. This tasting experience wholly changes my established memory of rich berries and intense toasting, revealing a captivating floral landscape with a mere swirl of the glass. The intertwined fragrances of violet and rose mingle with the rich aroma of pine nuts and toasted pumpkin seeds, bathing the blessing of nature. The clay layer beneath the gravelly highlands and the delicate extraction grant it unparalleled smoothness, transforming the copious, highly concentrated black fruits into the surging Yarlung Tsangpo River. This is the apex I had longed for, an everlasting monument to Château Montrose.

Wine Advocate

100

byWilliam Kelleythe3/7/2025

From barrel, I wrote that 2022 Montrose was so compelling that assigning it a bracketed score seemed a mere formality, and so it has proven. Unwinding in the glass with a deep and brooding bouquet of cassis, wild blueberries, violets, pencil shavings and burning embers, it's full-bodied, deep and dense, somehow marrying all the tannic authority that has long been such a signature of Montrose with a suavity and purity that represents the quintessence of contemporary Bordeaux. The broad, palate-staining finish lasts for more than a minute. This is a profound young wine that readers aren't going to want to miss.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

98

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

There may have been concessions to the vintage with La Dame de Montrose, but there is no compromise here, and no signs of over-maturity in the character of the fruit. Inky, rich, confidently powerful structure coupled with softness to the tannins, dark peppercorn, iodine, espresso, graphite and wet stones, muscular but luscious. Hervé Berland's last vintage, with Pierre Graffeuille arriving to take over as estate director, technical director Vincent Decup. 40% 1st wine. A single point upscore from En Primeur.

Decanter.com

94

byGeorgina Hindlethe3/7/2025

Floral and dark chocolate scents with black berries. Beautifully textured, with grippy tannins, pure fruit and high acidity. Plush, just-chewy blackcurrants and cherries, dark chocolate, liquorice and salty stones. Lifted, minty menthol finish. Balanced, harmonious and confident, nothing overdone. A clear upgrade from en primeur and a standout second wine.

The Wine Cellar Insider

100

byJeff Levethe3/4/2025

Montrose, Château

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

One of the greats in the vintage, the 2022 Château Montrose is deep ruby/purple-hued and has a massive perfume of sweet crème de cassis, sappy tobacco, and freshly sharpened pencils. With incredible purity and precision in its aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, powerful, yet still somehow elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Based on a classic blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. As I wrote during En Primeur, it has the essence of a Montrose-like character. While it’s not a massively backward or austere example of the château, it nevertheless deserves 10-12 years of bottle age and should have at least half a century of longevity. It is, without a doubt, in the same league as the 1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Yvesbeck.wine

99

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

D'entrée, Montrose se positionne de manière imposante et sereine. Il joue sur plusieurs terrains en ouvrant des fenêtres dédiées à la maturité, tout en révélant des nuances d'élevage puis, finalement, des notes de baies noires, de griottes, de réglisse et de feuilles de thé. En bouche, le vin souligne son ampleur, mais il affiche également de la salinité en attaque, ce qui plébiscite sa fraîcheur et son aptitude à canaliser l'opulence. Les tannins, suaves, vont de pair avec de fins amers qui valorisent la fraîcheur et qui étirent la persistance de la finale. Un Montrose invitant, précis et puissant que l'on pourra suivre au cours des décennies à venir. 2029-2057 99/100

Vinous

98

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 Montrose has an outstanding bouquet that blossoms in the glass. Enticing scents of blackberry, bilberry and a touch of cassis open, while violet and iris flower notes emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. The 2022 retains the structure of a typical Montrose, but those tannins are so finely chiseled that it renders this wine far more approachable compared to those I was tasting just a decade earlier. There is a patina of menthol toward the finish, a consequence of that year's warmth, yet it remains a seamless Saint-Estèphe that will doubtlessly age with immense grace. Fabulous.

Jamessuckling.com

99

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

Great depth in the nose, taking you into its core of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, graphite, tar, inkpot and cassis. Full-bodied and very tight, this flexes its polished muscles, showing form and tension. Compacted. From organically grown grapes. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. This needs six to seven years to come around.

Vinous

100

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Montrose is insanely beautiful. That much is obvious. When it might be ready to drink is another question. In recent years, Montrose has acquired notable finesse in its tannins, so that is not an issue. But the 2022 is packed with tremendous density and concentration that will need time to soften. Blackberry, graphite, licorice, lavender and chocolate stain the palate in a stunning, riveting wine of the very highest level. I can only hope to be around when the 2022 starts to drink well! Montrose is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Unforgettable.

Wine Spectator

96

byJames Molesworththe1/22/2025

This is laden with gently steeped black currant, black cherry and blackberry fruit inlaid with flashes of licorice snap, singed alder, chestnut and gunpowder tea. A flash of lilac skirts the edges, adding subtle energy and lift. The long finish offers an alluring feel, with an echo of warm earth lingering amid the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2045.

Wine Maniacs

96-97

byLin Liuthe5/30/2023

Decanter.com

97

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

A gorgeous richness straight away, you can feel the intensity and concentration but the texture is so sleek, almost silky yet weighty, juicy and intense. Supple but firm with crushed stones, liquorice, tobacco, dark chocolate, plums and blackcurrants. Tannins are firm and at the fore, but cool and crisp with bite and wet stone elements give an instant minerality. The fruit almost takes a back seat, ripe and black in nature, but quieter than the other elements and overall frame. Juicy and succulent, an appealing shot of acidity initially, mouthwatering and vibrant, then the chalky tannins come in and give this a sense of seriousness. This carries the strength of the vintage well, focused and precise with detail and a sense of energy that is so impactful. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Harvest 2-22 September. 58% grand vin - one of the biggest proportions. There was 53% grand vin in 2018. 3.8pH. 80 IPT. A yield of 31hl/ha.

Alexandre Ma

98-100

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

Château Montrose 2022 is the epoch-defining masterpiece I had envisioned, a wine exuding energy, tension, wildness, and power, while simultaneously maintaining a humble demeanor. It is a flourishing flower of life, nurtured by passion. This tasting experience wholly changes my established memory of rich berries and intense toasting, revealing a captivating floral landscape with a mere swirl of the glass. The intertwined fragrances of violet and rose mingle with the rich aroma of pine nuts and toasted pumpkin seeds, bathing the blessing of nature. The clay layer beneath the gravelly highlands and the delicate extraction grant it unparalleled smoothness, transforming the copious, highly concentrated black fruits into the surging Yarlung Tsangpo River. This is the apex I had longed for, an everlasting monument to Château Montrose.

Vinous

97-99

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Montrose was picked 2 to 22 September comprising all four grape varieties and all the Cabernet Franc, with 13% pressed wine, matured in 60% new oak. There is 14.5% alcohol this year, which is less than 2018. It has an extremely pure nose with black cherries and blueberry. Quite floral in style with hints of blood orange percolating through with time. The palate is very precise with exceptional mineralité and tension. Very focused, superb concentration, with what is becoming Montrose's trademark sense of symmetry and sustained aftertaste, this could be the finest Saint-Estèphe in 2022.

The Vintage Journal

96-97

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Deep crimson. Blackcurrant, black cherry, chinotto, hint marzipan cedar aromas. Generous and inky with ripe dark berry fruits five chalky tannins and cedar mocha oak. Cedar firm at the finish. Impressive density and richness of flavour. (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot 60% new oak) 14.5% alc

matthewjukes.com

19,5

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

98-100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

The 2022 Montrose is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to offer a gorgeous perfume of violets, star anise, wilted roses, cumin seed, and garrigue, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, boysenberry preserves, and kirsch. The full-bodied palate is a firework display of graceful, highly nuanced fruit, featuring mineral, floral, black fruit, and red berry sparks, supported by very firm, super-ripe tannins and incredible freshness, finishing very long, vibrant, and shimmery. The yield was 31 hl/ha and the First Wine represents 50% of the 2022 production. The quality of the press wine was high this year, and 13% was included in the blend. pH 3.78, TPI 85.

Yvesbeck.wine

98-100

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Superbe intensité du bouquet, qui offre une magnifique symbiose entre fraîcheur, charme et maturité. Les épices douces, les nuances végétales, l'éclat du fruit, les notes de menthe, la réglisse et une multitude d'autres éléments soulignent la complexité du bouquet, qui est de surcroît d'une grande précision. L'attaque est précise également, pertinente et elle annonce un vin majestueux. Que de densité, de finesse, de profondeur et d'éléments contradictoires côte à côte qui créent une improbable symbiose. Les tannins ont un grain fin, ils sont parfaitement intégrés, ils sont d'une rare puissance et, pourtant, ils sont bien encadrés. La finale se termine sur de la fraîcheur, du fruit tandis que l'austérité, respectivement de beaux amers, étirent sa persistance aromatique.

Bettane & Desseauve

96-97

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Grande couleur, beau corps, texture noble et veloutée, encore un peu sur la réserve mais il a tout ce qu’il faut pour aller loin dans la vie.

Jeb DUNNUCK

98-100

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

The 2022 Château Montrose is a classic blend of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new oak from a variety of coopers. Another absolutely brilliant wine in the vintage, it offers a saturated purple hue as well as an essence of Montrose-like bouquet of currants, blueberries, damp earth, violets, graphite, and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless has a riveting sense of purity, precision, and finesse that's hard to believe. Given its balance and purity of fruit, as well as the quality of the tannins, it's going to offer incredible pleasure with just 4-6 years of bottle age (a decade would be best) yet be just about immortal if well stored.

Vinous

96-98

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Montrose is a brooding, powerful wine, as it so often is. Huge tannins wrap around a core of dark black fruit, chocolate, leather, spice, menthol and licorice. The new oak (60%) is not yet fully integrated, but then again, the 2022 is a baby. A bit of time in the glass helps the elements come together nicely. Readers will have to be exceptionally patient, as the 2022 is not likely to start drinking well until it is at least 15-20 years old. Drinking window : 2032-2062

The Wine Cellar Insider

98-100

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Almost opaque in color, the wine is equally dark in character with its core of blackberries, black currants, black cherries, and licorice. In the nose, you also find flowers, citrus, and a kitchen full of spices. The level of depth on the palate is almost off the charts, yet, the wine somehow remains light on its feet. There is intensity matched with purity, elegance and seamlessness in the finish that holds your focus for at least 60 seconds. Clearly, this is one of the great vintages of Montrose with a uniqueness of character that fans of the estate should have in their cellar. Lastly, it is important to note there is no feeling of heat, jam or over ripeness here. The wine is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 14.5% ABV, pH 3.78. Harvesting took place September 2 - September 22. Yields were 31 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced using only 58% of the harvest. The wine is aging in 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Drink from 2030-2065.

Wine Advocate

99-100

byWilliam Kelleythe5/2/2023

The 2022 Montrose is such a compelling wine that assigning it a bracketed score seems a mere formality. A brilliant terroir, impeccable viticulture, perfectly timed harvest dates and judicious extraction have aligned to deliver a monument in the making, reminiscent of a far purer, more precise, modern-day version of the 1990 vintage at this address. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets, iris, pencil lead and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, deep and authoritative, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, elegantly muscular core that's framed by supple, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, this only confirms Montrose's status as a de facto first growth and unquestionably one of the contemporary Médoc's very greatest estates.

Jamessuckling.com

97-98

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

A very powerful and structured Montrose with steely tannins that run the length of the wine. It's compacted and muscular with an extremely long finish. Graphite and spices in the aftertaste. This should be terrific after the elevage. From organically grown grapes. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.