19+
WEINWISSER: "62 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 31 % Merlot, 6 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot, 13 Vol.-%, 39 % Grand Vin, 30 hl/ha. Ein unglaublich komplexes Bouquet, sehr subtil, Wildkirsche, Lakritze und rotes Johannisbeergelee. Im zweiten Ansatz getrockneter Thymian, Graphit und Fliedernoten. Am dynamischen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, salzigem Extrakt, stützender Rasse, engmaschig reifem Tanningerüst und perfekt geformtem Körper. Besticht mit grandioser Präzision und beeindruckendem Tiefgang. Im gebündelten, langanhaltenden Finale ein Feuerwerk mit edler Cassiswürze, tiefschürfender dunkler Mineralik und erhabener Adstringenz. «A great terroir vintage» und ganz klar der beste Wein aus St. Estèphe."
95-
96
JAMES SUCKLING: "A very classy and refined Montrose with excellent length and a compact, medium-bodied palate, showing fine, silky tannins and a fresh, bright finish. Lots of currant, blackberry and tar at the end, as well as some graphite. 62% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot."
94-
96
THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A brilliant achievement, the 2021 Montrose is reminiscent of a purer, more precise, modern-day version of the estate's 1996. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, sweet loamy soil, black truffle and nicely integrated new oak, it's full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, lively acids and a seamless, harmonious profile. Exhibiting beautifully refined tannins and an impressive sense of completeness, it's a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot—standing out as one of the few top wines of the vintage that actually includes more Merlot and less Cabernet than in recent years."
18,5
VINUM: "Superbe, komplexe Aromatik; unerhört kompakter, stilvoller Montrose, Tannin grosser Frische, endet herrlich lang, gehört zu den schönsten, weil stilvollsten Montrose der letzten Jahre."
95
DECANTER: "Beautiful perfume on the nose, really fragrant and seductive, deep and heady but beguiling too. You get chunky, chewy fruit here - this is round, plump and filling a consequence of the slightly more Merlot in the blend than usual - opposed to more Cabernet seen elsewhere. It has a luscious appealing fruitiness then the austerity kicks in, with a vein of salinity and minerality, such a linear, quite strict middle where you get severity in the texture giving it some rigidity but you also have such great depth on the Mid-palate, the layers of fruit and spice that linger giving such a core of flavour. A sense of power, intensity and concentration but also with acidity keeping everything lifted. A stately wine with lots of potential. Pierre Graffeuille replaces Hervé Berland here, having arrived in March and taking over fully in October. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 39% grand vin."
94-
96
THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deep in color, especially for the vintage, you find tobacco leaf, black cherry, pencil shavings, cedar, spice, and dark fruits appearing in the perfume with no effort at all. There is a richness in the palate. The fruit is ripe, fresh, vibrant, and chewy, with lift and energy in the mouth that carries through to the finish. As all fans of Montrose know, the wine more often than not requires decades of age before it is ready to taste, but 2021 is a different beast, allowing you to enjoy it with just a few years before it begins to be fun to taste. The wine was made by blending 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, 3.7. Yields were 38 hectoliters per hectare, with 40% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin. The harvest took place from September 21 to October 6. Drink from 2028-2055."
93-
95
JEB DUNNUCK: "The Grand Vin 2021 Château Montrose comes from a miniscule selection of just 39% of the production and is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Medium to full-bodied, it has a seamless, elegant, incredibly pure mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and some richer plum, spice, and tobacco aromas and flavors. It's certainly in the style of the vintage with its pure, graceful, supple style, but the tannins are impeccably done, it's balanced, and has character. It should benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years."
94
FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Ein Hauch von Cassis, frische Kirschen, dezenter Brombeertouch, zarte Kräuterwürze. Saftig, reife rote Kirschen, elegant und frisch, gut eingebundene Tannine, mineralisch, gut anhaftend, gute Länge, verfügt über Entwicklungspotenzial."
90-
92
LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Montrose is deep purple-black colored. It charges out of the gate with bold notes of crushed blackcurrants and fresh boysenberries, plus suggestions of pencil shavings, underbrush, and cast-iron pan, with a waft of potpourri. Light to medium-bodied, the palate delivers impressive tension and energy, baked up by fine-grained tannins and nuances of black fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note."
