Château Montrose 2015

An imposing wine that shows the excellence of the winemaking and terroir, but it's not as deft or effortless as the 2016. Montrose is often austere in its youth, and the well-knit black fruits wound with tight strands of liquorice are clearly capable of long ageing. There is something extremely special here, although the tannins are very much closed up right now. The smallest selection for the grand vin in 15 years.

Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024.

The 2015 Montrose has wonderful lift and vigor on the nose that puts it ahead of its peers. Blackberry, iodine, cedar and greater minerality come through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. It's quite fleshy for a Montrose, which renders this one of the more approachable vintages. There is a keen countervailing line of acidity with a dash of spice on the finish. Excellent.

Deep ruby with purple reflections and discreet rim brightening. Delicate balsamic background, notes of blackberry confit, fine oak savouriness and a mineral touch, overall somewhat restrained. Juicy fresh cherry on the palate, delicate extract sweetness, integrated tannins, mineral salty finish, good length, a multi-faceted food companion.

Inky dark purple core with a rim showing approaching maturity. Great purity and intensity, classy Cabernet aromas of cassis, black fruit, tobacco and violet, with fine, discreet oak notes underneath. The palate is rich and unctuous with fine proportions, good intensity of fine tannins adding lift and freshness, digest dark fruit with cassis, cherry, sage and mint flavors, perfectly integrated wood and a very long, lingering finish. Still youthful but perfectly drinkable today.

Another wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Montrose is certainly the wine of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. Notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and graphite/lead pencil all flow to a beautifully pure, elegant, and multi-dimensional 2015 that has fine, polished tannins, perfect balance, and a great finish. The 2015 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, all of which was raised in 65% new oak. This isn’t a blockbuster, yet it’s pure class all the way. It will be better in 4–5 years and keep for 2–3 decades.

MERLOT LIKE CABERNETS? Hervé Berland was beaming during our visit. A few years ago he moved from Mouton to Montrose as director: “It’s only five more minutes of commuting, but I’m somehow happier here. They give me more freedom,” he says with a satisfied smile. “It was quite a large harvest at around 48 hectoliters per hectare. We’ll probably be able to bottle about 180,000 bottles of the 2015 Grand Vin. What matters first and foremost, however, is that we have a great Montrose in the cellar. And that is certainly the case. The peculiarity of this vintage is that internally we struggled to distinguish Merlot from Cabernet Sauvignon. It was an unprecedented phenomenon. We were also pleased with Cabernet Franc. On the other hand, we downgraded Petit Verdot into Dame de Montrose. It showed too high a yield and—unlike the other grape varieties—came across a bit too thin.” 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. 37% of the production was selected as Grand Vin. Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. Intense bouquet, shaped by ripe, profound Cabernet, hints of truffle, blackberries, but also dark noble woods and pumpernickel bread, complemented by dark chocolate tones in matching Merlots. Even the nose has something regal about it. On the palate, firm, impressive, demanding, thus showing comprehensive astringency, dark malt, licorice, Sichuan pepper, racy and powerful. Yet it shows harmony and a certain grandeur. It echoed for minutes and was still present long after, as I drove from Montrose to Cos. Great Montrose cinema!

(67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc) Concentrated, profound, dark, velvety bouquet: black cassis, black berries, tobacco, truffle, mocha, licorice, graphite. Dense, powerful, multi-layered, classic palate with a concentrated, muscular structure, plenty of fine tannins, robust dark aromatics, velvety fruit, and a very long, dense finish. 19/20 2025 - 2050

With a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Montrose has a deep garnet color. It comes bounding out of the glass with ready-to-play notes of crushed blackberries, Morello cherries, and blackcurrant cordial, plus wafts of lilacs, Chinese five spice, and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a lively backbone and grainy tannins to successfully support the gregarious black and red berry flavors, finishing long with a spicy kick.

It has continued to improve since bottling and showcases all the strength of its terroir with exemplary precision. Racy notes of cedar, strong tannic backbone, and a graphite-driven finish that promises a great deal.

The color is black with aromas of great finesse. The wine is dense, tannic, straight, more Montrose than nature, austere, strict. The Grand Vin accounts for only 39% of the production. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc.

The nose is aromatic, fruity, elegant, powerful (yet balanced), concentrated, racy and offers lovely finesse, a subtle juiciness and good definition. It reveals notes of chocolate, wild strawberry and fresh wild raspberry, with touches of blackberry, violet and terroir (gravel/racy), as well as fine hints of sweet spices and caramelized oak. The palate is fruity, fresh, elegant, balanced, silky, harmonious and fine, offering lovely definition, precise detail, power, a fine grain and subtle concentration. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fleshy blackberry, strawberry and ripe/fresh raspberry/redcurrant, with touches of chocolate and toasted oak, as well as discreet hints of spice. The tannins are fine, racy and structuring. Good length. (2023+)

Logo on the cork: CB Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit. Lovely sensation of softness. All about delicate touch, with brightness in the flavor, less structured and less textured than 2014 and 2016, yet this wine develops a sappy finish and a delicate perfume.

This is another gem that is much better from bottle than barrel. There is a smoky, spicy character to the waves of fruit on your palate. Full-bodied, concentrated, long, fresh, and clean, with a finish that stays with you for at least 40 seconds. Comparing it with the 2014, 2016, and 2017 over the years is going to make for a lot of fun tastings!

Understated aromatics that need a good five minutes in the glass to open up; this goes long on brambled dark fruits, plenty of slate, graphite, crushed rocks and crayon. An impressively slow release of flavours and textures, though without the deep dive through the mid-palate of the 2014 or 2016 at this property. It is slowly but surely heading towards its drinking window, and can be drunk now with a long carafe. The smallest selection for the grand vin in 15 years. Hervé Berland, technical director.