2013 Château Montrose St. Estèphe Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

15615 Views

2013
92
Medium bodied, surprisingly early drinking Montrose which is perhaps more interesting on the nose than on the fresh, spicy, charming palate. For consumers not willing to wait for vintages like 2010 that take 20 years to come around, this is a nice, easy to drink style of Montrose.

Medium bodied, surprisingly early drinking Montrose which is perhaps more interesting on the nose than on the fresh, spicy, charming palate. For consumers not willing to wait for vintages like 2010 that take 20 years to come around, this is a nice, easy to drink style of Montrose.

4,552 Views   Tasted
Smoke, coffee bean, fennel, tobacco, truffle and blackberry aromas come forth with no effort. In the mouth, the wine is soft and polished, especially when considering the vintage, the wine finishes with cassis, fresh black cherries and licorice. Tannic, but not obtrusive, the wine should be given at least 5 years to come around. On the bright side for fans of Montrose, this still places it at the top of the queue for early drinking vintages of Montrose! Representing 60% of the production, the wine was made from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. With 2013, the property purposely decided not to include Cabernet Franc in the blend. Yielding 30 Hectoliters per hectare, the brix of the wine reached 12.9% ABV which is aging in 60% new, French oak barrels. According to Herve Berland, who serves as a Group Managing Director and Member of the Management team, success of the wine in this difficult vintage was due to picking later than many estates, and having to remove leaves in the middle of September to help aerate the vines were key factors. Montrose finished their harvesting on October 16. For those that like to keep track of everything taking place; the wine was released to the market only a few days after the premier tastings were finished at 57.60 Euros Ex Negociant. 92-94 Pts

Smoke, coffee bean, fennel, tobacco, truffle and blackberry aromas come forth with no effort. In the mouth, the wine is soft and polished, especially when considering the vintage, the wine finishes with cassis, fresh black cherries and licorice. Tannic, but not obtrusive, the wine should be given at least 5 years to come around. On the bright side for fans of Montrose, this still places it at the top of the queue for early drinking vintages of Montrose! Representing 60% of the production, the wine was made from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. With 2013, the property purposely decided not to include Cabernet Franc in the blend. Yielding 30 Hectoliters per hectare, the brix of the wine reached 12.9% ABV which is aging in 60% new, French oak barrels. According to Herve Berland, who serves as a Group Managing Director and Member of the Management team, success of the wine in this difficult vintage was due to picking later than many estates, and having to remove leaves in the middle of September to help aerate the vines were key factors. Montrose finished their harvesting on October 16. For those that like to keep track of everything taking place; the wine was released to the market only a few days after the premier tastings were finished at 57.60 Euros Ex Negociant. 92-94 Pts

11,063 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Montrose, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Montrose is a wine that demands time in the cellar. Due to the large amount of tannins, concentration, and structure, the wine is always better with at least 10-20 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage.

Chateau Montrose offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15-50 or more years after the vintage. Young vintages should be decanted for at least 2-4 hours. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment

Chateau Montrose Style and Character of the Wine

Chateau Montrose at its best is powerful, refined, masculine, elegant, and complex. The fruit has a richness that fills your mouth and coats your palate. But the wines are also firm and tannic.

The wine of Chateau Montrose can age and evolve for decades. In fact, purchasers should know, that in the best vintages, the wine requires decades to develop. Chateau Montrose is seldom a wine that is fun to taste in its youth. It's a very long, lived wine.

The 1921 Montrose tasted recently was still in top form! If you've ever wondered why Chateau Montrose is prized by Bordeaux lovers all over the world, 1989 Chateau Montrose is the wine to buy.

That being said, for a Montrose to age, the 2009 Chateau Montrose is off the charts, deserving its 100 Pt score and a place in your cellar, if you can afford it! Chateau Montrose has been one of the top producers in Bordeaux for decades. However, under the direction of Herve Berland, it looks like the best is yet to come.

Serving Chateau Montrose with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Montrose is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Montrose is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Montrose is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.

www.chateau-montrose.com