The 2010 Château Montrose is just now starting to drink well, though bottles from my cellar remain stubbornly backward and closed. This showing, however, revealed rocking levels of cassis, graphite, spring flowers, crushed stone, and spicy leather. Full-bodied, incredibly pure, and balanced, it has a seamless mouthfeel, tons of ripe tannins, and a gorgeous, layered finish. It’s a riveting, multi-dimensional Montrose that ranks with the true greats of the vintage. It deserves another decade of bottle age and will see the turn of the century in fine form. Drink 2035-2100.
TWI
100pts
The Wine Independent
The 2010 Montrose is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of swirling and coaxing to bring out notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, warm cassis, and licorice, followed by hints of mocha, tapenade, crushed rocks, and cast-iron pan. The full-bodied palate has a formidable structure of very firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the voluptuous black fruit and mineral layers, finishing long, long, long.
Winery Notes
Rated 100 - Holy Cow! The wine is black, almost opaque in color. There is so much concentration, you can almost eat it with a spoon. The wine is powerful, yet clearly refined. It's dense, intense, full bodied and rich, simultaneously remaining in perfect balance and harmony. With mouth coating levels of intensity, the finish must last 60 seconds. Not as flashy or fleshy as the opulent 2009, yet it's at the same level of quality in a different style. - The Wine Cellar Insider
The 2010 Montrose is one of the highlights of the Icons of Bordeaux dinner. It has a show-stopper nose with powerful, intense, mineral-rich black fruit, becoming quite floral with aeration. Potpourri hints complement tobacco notes. The palate is fresh, vibrant and weighty, yet paradoxically, it has wonderful finesse. There is a symmetry about this Montrose, coupled with a tremendous length that leaves you wanting more. Brilliant. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York.
One of the most youthful and powerful wines in this tasting is the 2010 Montrose, a year when only 52% of the estate's production went into the grand vin. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, cigar wrapper, black truffle and loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a rich core of concentrated fruit that's framed by a muscular tannic chassis. Some 2010s are beginning to show their cards, but this Montrose will still require patience.
Rock solid, displaying a dense core of plum, steeped currant and braised fig fruit, with racy charcoal and ganache notes. Intensely chalky, offering flesh and refinement to match the bracing minerality, this shows hints of grilled savory, iron, warm paving stone and bitter orange on the riveting finish. Should age very slowly. Best from 2019 through 2038.
A perfumed and pure Montrose, with lots of currants, berries and spices that evolve to chocolate and light coffee. Full body, with super racy tannins and bright and clean finish. Very fine and structured. A balance and freshness to it all as well as beautiful form and tension. Try in 2018.
Softly fragrant and inviting, with cool, fresh blue fruit. Juicy and intense. Broad and big shouldered tannin-wise, but with a sleek, focused, precise centre. A complex wine that hasn't fully hit its stride: has muscle and energy but also refinement. The fruit is pristine and the texture of the tannins is lovely. Young and pent up, not so easy to fall in love with today, but you will last for decades. Serious, cool and fresh. Classic in the best way.
This is such an elegant wine that has all the structure of the vintage. Surrounding the tannins, the wine is sweet and ripe, with smokiness from the wood. It's powerful, elegant and sophisticated with a strong sense of poise. The tannins promise long-term aging. (Cellar Selection)