72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

James Suckling: 98-99, Wine Advocate: 96-98, Neal Martin: 95-97

Neal Martin: The 2018 Montrose was picked from 17 September and finished on 5 October, comprising of 61 lots of free-run juice. It has a very refined and composed bouquet with blackberry, blueberry, violet and rose petals, the oak (100% new) seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin that form a symmetrical frame around the pure black, graphite tinged fruit that lend it a Pauillac-like personality. This is a brilliant Montrose that manages to express all the leitmotifs of this St-Estephe and keeps the excessive tendencies of the growing season in check, thanks to a combination of terroir and skillful winemaking. The alcohol level is 14.7% and we need to see how that plays out, but for now this seems to deliver.