La Dame de Montrose 1998

Medium garnet color with soft violet highlights. A seductive, delicate bouquet, plenty of fruit, and a wonderful spicy terroir character. On the palate, it is linear, superbly made, slender yet very long. An excellent second wine that still needs a little more time to settle in bottle.

99: Barrel sample (16/20): Warm, plum-scented bouquet, showing lovely fruit ripeness on the nose. On the palate, very soft and smooth, with no rough edges—almost a touch plump. 00: Medium garnet with gentle violet highlights. Seductive, delicate bouquet, lots of fruit and a wonderful terroir spice. On the palate, straightforward, superbly vinified, slender yet very long; an excellent second wine that still needs a good five years of bottle ageing. 16/20 2003 – 2010

Deep red color. Medium to good intensity. Lively. Beautiful. Nose of medium intensity. Quite refined. Pure for a second wine. With swirling, a note of blackcurrant cream. A slightly muted attack. A round, juicy structure, very charming, developing on the palate toward an aromatic finish with finely licorice- and chocolate-tinged notes. This is a delicious wine with very fresh flavors, with a chalky touch on the lingering finish. Lovely.