Montrose 2006

The first vintage under new owner Martin Bouygues,who convinced Jean-Bernard Delmas to come out of retirement to produce this wine, the 2006 Montrose is an undeniable success. A blend of approximately two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, one-third Merlot, and a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, the most dramatic difference between the 2006, and wines made by the previous administration is that Jean Delmas produces wines with sweeter, silkier tannins, although analytically, they are as high as those found in the great Montrose vintages of the past. The 2006 is extraordinarily elegant and finesse-styled, but it exhibits stunningly concentrated, sweet blackberry and cassis fruit with hints of flowers and minerals. Full-bodied with a savory, expansive mid-palate as well as sweet, noble tannins, this beauty will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 20-25+ years.

Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. This has good intensity on the nose: black dusty fruit, cedar, charcoal and scorched earth all with commendable definition. Medium-bodied palate, grippy tannins that are a little coarse, but the balanced is here, well-integrated new oak, a little austere but fanning out towards the briary finish with blackberry, tar and cedar. This Montrose deserves another 8-10 years in bottle and I suspect that by then it will deserve another couple of points. Tasted January 2010.

Montrose is so typically Saint-Estephe in 2006, with dried spices such cardamom and cloves as well as delicate currants. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a dense center palate. It needs another three or four years of bottle age to soften.