2009 Montrose
By Chateau Montrose
2009 Montrose from Chateau Montrose, St-Estephe, Bordeaux
The celebrated 2009 vintage from Chateau Montrose epitomises the pinnacle of fine Bordeaux blending, artfully combining the estate's revered terroir with a particularly majestic growing season. The year 2009 was marked by optimal climatic conditions in St-Estephe, harbouring the genesis of a vintage whose legacy resonates through the ages.
Investment and Indulgence: The 2009 Montrose
Bearing witness to such splendid vintages is a professional privilege and a personal joy. The 2009 Montrose, with each swirl and sip, reaffirms its status as one of the most investable wines from this renowned producer. A tapestry of rich complexity, the deep garnet pour alludes to its dense, ripe fruit core, a hallmark of the benevolent weather that graced Bordeaux that year.
A Vintage Defined by Exceptional Balance
Upon tasting, one is greeted with an opulence of blackberries, cherries, and plums, interlaced with smoky oak nuances reflective of masterful ageing. Yet, what sets this distinct vintage apart is its structure - robust tannins coupled with a vibrant acidity, creating an architectural masterpiece in the glass. The 2009 Montrose delivers not just intensity but exceptional balance, contributing to its lengthy potential for cellaring and thus enhancing its allure for investors and connoisseurs alike.
As time unveils its layers, notes of tobacco and earth emerge, a silent nod to the noble St-Estephe soil that cradled these vines. The reverent handling of the grapes post-harvest has yielded a wine of not just sensory pleasure but tangible value appreciation over time.
Conclusion
The stellar alignment of weather, winemaking expertise, and terroir has bestowed upon us the 2009 Montrose from Chateau Montrose - a wine that promises both drinking delight and investment wisdom. Its qualities underscore why specific vintages stand out in memory and market with unmatched reverence. This particular bottle - at once a bastion of Bordeaux's rich winemaking tradition and a beacon for wise wine investment - deserves earnest attention from those who seek both oenological excellence and astute portfolio additions.
Market price (GBP)
£2,400.00
12x75cl
Highest score
100
POP score
120
Scores and tasting notes
Blueberries, currants and Indian spices on the nose follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a lovely finish. It's intense and refined. A beauty. It goes on for minutes. Speechless. Better and cleaner than the great 1990. Try in 2022.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, February 14th 2012
Hallelujah—what a glorious nose! The deep garnet colored 2009 Montrose features beautiful Black Forest cake, licorice, crème de cassis and warm blueberries scents with hints of charcoal, truffles, tapenade and menthol plus a waft of star anise. The palate is full-bodied, rich, super concentrated and yet superbly harmonious with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 14 March 2019
A colossal effort, the 2009 Montrose represents a hypothetical blend of the monumental duo of 1989 and 1990 combined with the phenomenal 2003. With 13.7% alcohol (an all-time high at Montrose), it is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Some structure and minerality can be detected in the background, but the overall impression is one of massive blackberry, black currant and mulberry fruit intermixed with forest floor, damp earth, crushed rocks and a hint of spring flowers. Full-bodied with sweet but abundant tannin, Jean-Bernard Delmas believes this is the greatest wine he has made during his short tenure at Montrose since retiring from Haut-Brion. This wine will undoubtedly shut down for a decade, then unleash its power, glory and potential perfection. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Montrose 2009 has an intense bouquet but it is somehow very contained at the moment. Nice precision here, perhaps a little smudged with baked cherry and bilberry fruit. The palate is soft and rounded on the entry and there is clearly immense backbone and weight. Even blind, the class shows through, but as usual it is a difficult wine to taste at the beginning of what will inevitably be a long career. Tasting a second bottle in a different flight, I noticed a more Pauillac-like personality with a powerful, burly finish that is typical of Montrose. Impressive verging on oppressive and vice versa! It will need serious ageing, lock this up for a decade before parole. Tasted January 2013.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jul 2013