La Dame de Montrose 2019

Slight reduction and noticeable élevage character; fairly full-bodied, firm tannins, good length; currently very closed, should benefit from some additional aging.

Very solid, with a core of lightly steeped plum and blackberry fruit, supported by a streak of iron and framed by smoldering tobacco and dark earth notes. Good energy throughout as well, with a mouthwatering echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.

Generous nose filled with sweet blackcurrant fruit. This is dense and impactful, chewy with fine but grippy tannins making their presence known straight away. I love the texture though, it's mouth-coating in the best way—refined, with bright berry fruit and liquorice edges, particularly on the finish. Everything feels in balance with plenty going on and lots to like. A blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot (which is unusual because normally there is a majority of Merlot) with 3% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.

Juicy and pleasantly chewy with milk chocolate, walnut and currant aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and flavorful. Second wine of Montrose. Drink after 2024.

48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample. Cabernet expression particularly marked, especially on the palate. Dark fruit with a savory edge on the nose, the palate lively and lifted with fresher flavors. Dark fruit again with a minerally edge. Firm, dry finish. GV? (JL)

The 2019 Dame de Montrose shows all of the richness and radiance of the vintage in its inky fruit and overall ripeness profile. The 2019 is dense and lush, but also feels a bit heavy and lacking in balance, which is especially evident on the short finish. I expected a bit more.

Ripe, sweet, dark red berries surrounded by cedar, tobacco wrapper, spice and wet forest aromatics are at work on the nose. On the palate, there is more than ample, soft, ripe, sweet, crisp, elegant, earthy red fruits with a spicy touch on the back end, offering loads of pleasure with just a year or two of cellaring. This is a top vintage for La Dame de Montrose for drinking until the Grand Vin has a chance to develop and mature. Drink from 2024-2040.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. An animal touch, a hint of brettanomyces, black cherries and blueberries in the background. Medium complexity, subtle sweetness in the texture, firm tannins, saline minerality on the finish, a spicy food wine, soft notes of nougat on the finish.

Dark inky purple core and hue. Fine purity, toast and oak on the nose, very intense with violet-scented dark fruit, wild berries, cassis and tobacco leaf. Fine density of fruit on the palate, layered with finely tuned tannins and good oak integration. Fresh and digestible with great balance and a long, pure finish. Another second wine that has become “more than a second wine”.

The 2019 La Dame De Montrose is another impressive second wine and certainly worth seeking out. Ripe darker cherries, currants, leafy herbs, tobacco, and a hint of classic Saint-Estèphe damp earth all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a silky, graceful texture, light tannins, and a great finish. It's everything a second wine should be and will evolve nicely for 10-12 years.

Depth and power through the mid palate, good-quality tannins; this is classically restrained St Estèphe power, with savoury yet juicy black fruits. Living up to its potential En Primeur, one to look out for, and a strong second wine that beats out many first wines in the vintage. If you liked Dame de Montrose 2010, get on board with this.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 La Dame de Montrose features bright, evocative scents of black raspberries, boysenberries, and fragrant earth, plus nuances of star anise and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate has a fine-grained texture and just enough acidity to match the vibrant black berry and earthy layers, finishing long with a spicy lift.

Generous color and a palate to match, with true Stéphanoise vinosity and well-integrated oak, while offering more immediate suppleness than the grand vin. Price justified.

It’s hard not to be impressed by the definition and class of La Dame de Montrose 2019. The wine shows admirable fruit precision, both vibrant and precise.

Delicate nose, a touch capricious but attractive, with blue-fruit aromas and a hint of dark chocolate. A serious second wine with salinity and minerality. Lovely restraint and a savory balance.

The nose is racy, finely tight, and offers concentration as well as depth. It reveals notes of wild blackcurrant, vibrant small black fruits and, more lightly, cornflower, combined with touches of vibrant strawberry and lily, with fine hints of blueberry, a discreet hint of spice, fresh licorice, and a subtle hint of sweet spices. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, delicacy, roundness, flesh, indulgence, a tangy framework, precision, concentration, and a certain finesse in its racy power. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of vibrant cherry and violet, and more lightly juicy/fresh small wild red berries, combined with touches of crushed blackcurrant and black plum, as well as hints of licorice, blond tobacco, vanilla, and a hint of chocolate. A lovely wine where the “press wine” fully finds its place. Good work on the bitters.

Logo on the cork: inverted T (Trescases) Dark, vivid, and intense color. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit. Juicy on the attack, flavorful mid-palate, refined texture; the wine builds on the finish with inky flavors and a fresh yet juicy profile. Good length with enveloped tannins.

The second wine of Montrose is seriously structured, with dark tannins. It has impressive weight and concentration—a big wine yet polished, appropriate for this estate. Drink from 2025.