Montrose 1982

Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy's 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. The Montrose '82 has never been able to hold a flame to either the 1989 or 1990. Here at 30 years of age it has a slightly enervated bouquet: a little dusty with earthy black fruit that has mutated into secondary aromas; leather and sous-bois. The palate is balanced but not complex and feels like a runner who has completed one lap too many. There remains a pleasant Merlot core lending this Saint Estephe with approachability, but overall, it is missing both tension and pedigree. Tasted November 2012.

This vintage had exceptional growing conditions with a good spring, a very early and generous flowering in the beginning of June without any of the flowering mishaps that such as coulure and millerandage. while July, August and September were extremely hot, sunny and drought-like. The harvest started on September 14 and was completed on September 29. The final blend for the 1982 Montrose was relatively classic, and this wine, never one of my favorites of the vintage, shows plenty of brick at the edge, a big, spicy, oaky nose with oak in the background, notes of Chinese black tea, new saddle leather and unsmoked cigar tobacco, as well as red and black currants. It is medium-bodied, elegant, and fully mature. By no means one of the stars of the vintage, it is also quite spicy. Drink over the next 10-15 years.