1996 Montrose
By Chateau Montrose
1996 Montrose from Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux
In the revered hierarchy of Bordeaux vintages, the 1996 Montrose from Château Montrose unravels as a sterling exemplar of what St-Estèphe is capable of producing in an exceptional year. This vintage stands distinctly apart in its display of sheer elegance and structure, a striking testament to the terroir's endurance in a year that was marked by climatic generosity.
Vintage Veracity: A Year of Opulence
The latter half of the decade graced Bordeaux with some splendid vintages, among which 1996 shone with particular brilliance. St-Estèphe's undulating vineyards received optimal conditions, carving out emphatically the unique attributes of this commanding vintage. The result is a tannic muscle that escorts the 1996 Montrose with poise through the decades, unfurling now into a regal maturity that demands respectful attention from collectors and investors alike.
Bouquet and Balance: The Legacy Unfolds
Twenty-seven years on, and this wine unearths a profusion of sensations; once bold blackcurrants have mellowed into complex layers interwoven with tobacco and truffle nuances. In youth, the rugged tannins might have seemed imperious, but the expanse of time has tamed them into graceful elders imbuing every sip with wisdom. The integration here is sublime, as each component element basks in harmony – an orchestration that only time can conduct.
For fine wine investors who seek to diversify their portfolios with exemplars of optimal ageing potential, the 1996 Montrose stands as one impeccable cornerstone. With its current plateau of peak drinking window, it presents an invitation to experience what can only be termed as enological enlightenment.
In conclusion, sifting through the vintages at Château Montrose's expansive portfolio to isolate one for special mention is an insurmountable task. However, within this array shines a constellation named 1996 Montrose. Its patina is one shaped by time and circumstance; these bottles hold a liquid chronicle — deep-reaching roots tethered to an extraordinary year — which can unite astute investors with a piece of vinous history.
Market price (GBP)
£2,200.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
137.5
Scores and tasting notes
First tasted in October 2000: deep ruby colour. A complex nose with fleshy, meaty fruits. Super-ripe. Firm and typically austere now. Quite chewy with spice and choc notes. Still immature - this will be a classic Montrose. A great wine for those who really love classic Bordeaux. Tasted again in October 2003 - this is developing along the lines of the classic 1989. A rich chocolaty nose mixed with roasted herbs. The palate is decadent, well-knit tannins that do not obtrude like so many other 1996's. Rich, supple and rounded with complex black fruits, cigar-box and espresso coffee. Very long. This is a wonderful Montrose.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - Wine Journal
Tasted at the vertical in London, I have instead used the tasting note from a bottle opened at the property when I visited just a couple of weeks later. The 1996 Montrose is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot picked between 23 September and 6 October. It was served alongside the 1986 Montrose, however, this is a far better wine and reconfirms Robert Parker's remarks at his own vertical at the property in 2014. For me, it is that loamy character that defines the nose—freshly tilled, damp soil that tinctures the black fruit —that takes you straight to this particular château. This is classic through and through and very well defined. The palate is wonderful with very fine delineation, pitch-perfect acidity, touches of graphite infusing the red and black fruit that dovetails into a very pretty, floral finish. This is clearly one of the great wines of the 1996 vintage and I would be stocking up as much as I could, because it will give 30-40 years of pleasure. Tasted July 2016.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2017
This was a very strong year for the Medoc, as opposed to Graves and the Right Bank. The vintage has a very irregular reputation, but not so much for the Cabernet Sauvignon grape in the Medoc. Harvest occurred September 23 and finished October 6, a relatively short period, even at a large estate such as Montrose. The wine has sweeter tannins than the 1995, but doesn't have quite the ripeness noticeable in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010. This wine is the classic, or more traditional style of Montrose, with dusty loamy soil notes intermixed with blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Licorice, underbrush and floral notes were all present in this wine, which has good acidity and is not far from entering its plateau of full maturity. This was a year where Montrose used a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend – 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #214 Aug 2014