Château Montrose - Saint-Estèphe 2005

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/06/2015

The 2005 Montrose has a saturated purple color. As backward as one would expect of a St.-Estèphe, it offers notes of sweet blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, earth, graphite and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic, and still a decade away from prime-time drinkability. This 30+ year wine is clearly outstanding, but not one of the vintage’s most prodigious efforts. (94+)

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

par Neal Martin le 28/02/2015

The Château Montrose 2005 has a quite brilliant bouquet with intense blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents that unfold in compelling fashion – but don’t give too much away. The palate is full-bodied, a Montrose of “architecture” thanks to its vaulted tannin, perfect acidity and immense precision on the long finish. Everything here feel natural and effortless and yet it is clearly a 50+ year old wine. This is a fabulous Montrose, one built like a Bentley.

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 09/02/2015

Heady, sweetly perfumed. Quite a bit of acidity and then very stolid indeed. Half way between classic St-Estèphe and something more modern. A transitional wine? Dry, light finish. 

La Revue du Vin de France

17 / 20

le 20/10/2014

Patience car il est aujourd'hui loin d'être prêt et ouvert. Doté d'une grande ampleur de bouche, ce vin se présente encore dans une phase fermée. Ses tanins sont massifs et imposants. A oublier en cave de nombreuses années.

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/08/2014

In 2005, a very serious drought year stressed most vineyards in Bordeaux, which are all dry-farmed. The volume of rainfall was less than half the average of the previous 30 years. The clay subsoils at Montrose have always played a major role in not only dry years, but also in extremely hot ones, such as 2003, as they retain more moisture. The grapes were harvested between September 23 and October 9. This is a very powerful, full-bodied wine that is quite tannic, but the tannins are relatively velvety. The wine is rich, complex, majestic, multi-dimensional and also avoids any of the austerity that some 2005s possess. It has done quite well in its bottle evolution and should turn out to be a great Montrose, capable of lasting 30 to 50 years.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

par Neal Martin le 11/06/2009

Tasted single blind at Southwold. A bit of a bruiser at this early stage. It has a focused sweet ripe plum-scented nose with touches of cassis and strawberry – perhaps just a little overdone but pure. Then a dense, ripe palate; rounded texture; clean with good acidity and an attractive grainy texture. Certainly very backward, but nicely poised towards the finish. Drink 2015-2030+ Tasted January 2009. 93+

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

par René Gabriel le 07/05/2009

Dunkles Granat, satte Mitte. Warmes Bouquet von Dörrfrüchten, Teer und Trüffelnoten, zeigt sich im Ansatz ziemlich füllig, obwohl er noch verschlossen ist. Im Gaumen fest, mit Fleisch und Biss sowie reifen Tanninen. Ein guter Sparringpartner bei Tisch. 2015 – 2030

La Revue du Vin de France

18 / 20

le 30/09/2008

Nez au fruit très mûr et subtil, aux notes d'encens et de rose ancienne; bouche puissante, avec une trame tannique riche et solide, du fruit, un boisé bien intégré et une très belle persistence des arômes. Un très grand Montrose.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

93 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2008

Good bright ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of plum, flint and nutty oak. Large-scaled, rich and explosive, offering impressive volume and a sensation of power. The ripeness here verges on syrupy and this lush, round wine may well need a decade to lose some of its baby fat and assume its adult shape. The big, ripe tannins coat the teeth. 93(+?)

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

par Robert Parker le 07/05/2008

The 2005 Montrose is an exceptionally tannic, broodingly backward offering displaying a dense ruby/purple color along with a provocative perfume of crushed rocks, flowers, cassis, black raspberries, and blueberries. It continues to add weight and richness, good traits considering the substantial, forbiddingly high tannin levels and zesty acidity. If you are over the age of fifty, this backward, powerful wine will probably be more enjoyable to your descendants. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040+

Wine Spectator

94 / 100

par James Suckling le 22/02/2008

La Revue du Vin de France

18.50 / 20

le 03/09/2007

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 04/05/2007

Fashioned from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2005 Montrose exhibits huge tannin, powerful floral, blueberry, and cassis flavors, and more weight as well as richness than last year. While surprisingly high in alcohol (13.2%) for a Montrose, that component is nicely balanced by the high tannin and decent acidity. This blockbuster will need a decade or more of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040+.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92-95 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2006

(a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 3.5% cabernet franc and 0.5% petit verdot) Good full ruby-red. Brooding aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, licorice, bitter chocolate and violet. Juicy, gripping and tightly wound, with its very firm structure currently hiding its mid-palate flesh. But very subtle and long, with captivating floral and mineral notes on the finish. This was positively explosive as it opened in the glass, showing increasing texture and sweetness. The crop level of 44 hectoliters per hectare was down about 30% from that of 2004, according to Laguarigue. This will have a good 30+ years of life in bottle, but will need at least a decade of cellaring.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

par Robert Parker le 01/05/2006

The big news in Bordeaux is the potential sale (it had not been finalized at the time of publication) of Chateau Montrose. The 2005 Montrose does not quite measure up to the 2003, but it is a beautiful effort. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc as well as a dollop of Petit Verdot, it possesses an inky/blue/purple color in addition to a sweet, provocative nose of creme de cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, and subtle wood. Medium to full-bodied, elegant yet powerful, fresh, and nuanced, the acids are higher and the pH lower in 2005 than in 2002. The 2005 should be a long-lived classic, but patience will be required despite the relatively high alcohol (13.2%), which is counterbalanced by some of the highest tannins ever measured. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

17.50 / 20

le 13/04/2006

C'est un vin étonnant, très coloré, au nez fruité, frais, mûr et même crémeux, qui au premier abord ne laisse présager en rien de la structure tanique un peu massive qui suit en bouche. L'ampleur est importante, le vin très savoureux, fondant mais un peu ferme en finale. C'est difficile à expliquer mais cette fermeté ne m'a pas semblé vouloir dire absence de maturité. Elle ressemble à une impression surprenante de minéralité, comme si, en période de sècheresse, la vigne avait capté des éléments inhabituels. Il sera intéressant de suivre son évolution à l'élevage. Pour M. De Lagarigue, le vin s'attendrit depuis qu'il est en barrique. Aujourd'hui, je considère le Montrose 2005 comme un peu austère, un peu carré et marqué par le Saint Estèphe.

Wine Spectator

92-94 / 100

par James Suckling le 28/03/2006

Raspberries, currants and spices on the nose. Full-bodied, with a very focused palate of fruit and fine tannins. Fresh finish. Long. Racy wine. —J.S.