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Intense aromas of kirsch, currant and spice follow through to a full-bodied palate, with round, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This is complex, changing on the nose and palate. Layered and structured. Will improve for many years to come.--Non-blind Château Montrose vertical. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 96 WSUnder the ownership of Jean-Louis Charmolüe (who remained in place from 1960 until 2006 and who just died in January of this year). Gorgeous, brick-edged, soft brambled fruit, cassis and bilberry tinged with hedgerow, undergrowth, truffles. 100% 1st wine at this point, as Dame de Montrose arrived in 1986 - and yet the quality of the structure and tannins is still clearly on display. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECThe 1982 Montrose served as my introduction to the vintage many moons ago and strangely, after all that time, this is the best bottle that I have encountered. Dark fruit on the nose with candied orange peel, cigar humidor and just a touch of sous-bois, this feels very focused and conveys more intensity than previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of dark red fruit, youthful and structured, maybe a little disjointed towards the finish, which for the first time, does not display any under-ripeness. Very fine. Tasted blind at the "Two" dinner at Domaine de Chevalier.Vinous Media | 92 VMA wine that has long enjoyed a somewhat mixed reputation, the 1982 Montrose continues to drink very well at age 40; in fact, this tasting note reflects the best bottle I’ve ever drunk of this vintage. Exhibiting aromas of sweet berry fruit, cedar box and loamy soil, it’s medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with lively acids, melted tannins and a soft, subtly leather-inflected finish. While it isn’t as concentrated or characterful as the brilliant 1989 or 1990, for example, it’s a generous, open-knit wine that’s far from being in danger of imminent decline.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

(Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, Red) This is a masterclass in the ageing aromas of Bordeaux. It sits exactly at the spot at which you still have a tightening and a menthol freshness on this finish, with cassis fruit that is still very much tight and young, but where the more gentle, spicy, brushed almond and cedar flavours start to intrude. Beautiful wine, amazing, it deepens through the palate, the expression changes and evolves, it’s tertiary but still with flesh, gorgeous. (Drink between 2017-2032)Decanter | 98 DECWonderful clean berry fruit with currant, light mint and mineral following through to a full, firm palate with long, silky tannins and a mineral, berry and spice aftertaste. Lovely wine. Firm. This is squeaky clean and beautiful. Enjoyable now but better to wait a few years still.--Non-blind Château Montrose vertical. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 95 WSTasted at the château, the 1986 Montrose is a wine that I had not tasted for many years and up until now, I was concerned about whether there was sufficient fruit to balance its sturdy, obdurate tannins. A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc picked between 30 September and 16 October, it has a similar core to the 1986 Cos d’Estournel, albeit with a slight wider bricked rim. The nose is pleasant and quite floral, not as rich or as opulent as the Cos d’Estournel, quite refined with cedar and undergrowth aromas, then pencil lead that becomes more dominant with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, a fresh line of acidity, a little more leather coming through towards the finish with commendable weight and focus, if not quite the exuberance of the best 1986s. It is drinking perfectly now. Though a long way behind the 1989 and 1990 Montrose, this conservative Saint Estephe will continue to give 15-20 years more pleasure. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

The purity and precision in this wine is very exciting. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long finish of currant and spice. Black tea and bark too. Better in 2020 but beautiful now. Decant before serving.James Suckling | 95 JSOne of the superstars of the vintage, this classic Montrose is not as showy or opulent as the 2010, 2009 or 2003, but it offers a dense purple color followed by gorgeously sweet black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with loamy, earthy, forest floor notes, a floral component and a long, full-bodied finish. The 2008 was fashioned from yields of 44 hectoliters per hectare which is slightly less than the 2010’s 45 hectoliters per hectare. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 20+.Robert Parker | 95 RPMontrose always takes its time, and this is still very much young and austere but with a commanding presence. It’s a classically structured Montrose showing crushed slate, tobacco and bilberry and there’s no question that it has plenty of life ahead of it. The tannins are among the most chewy on display so far, the fruit tucked in between the layers of acidity, the overall feel one of subdued power. Give it another few years before opening then settle in for the long haul. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DEC(Château Montrose) My goodness, Château Montrose is making such profound and classic wines these days that it is hard not to argue that this is the golden age for this estate! The 2008 Montrose is a great, great wine in the making, as it offers up a deep and very complex nose of black cherries, cassis, Cuban cigars, a wonderfully complex base of gravel, espresso and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, tight and very, very pure, with a rock solid core of fruit, stunning soil signature, plenty of firm tannins and plenty of lift on the backend from the superb acidity of this vintage. The finish here is very, very long, displays excellent focus and grip and is still very, very closed. This great wine will live forever, but will take at least a good dozen years to blossom. Under the direction of Jean Delmas, Château Montrose is the claret purists’ perfect wine. (Drink between 2022-2100).John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2008 Montrose has a lifted perfumed bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, iris and limestone scents, nicely defined and opening with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, layers of cedar-tinged black fruit, spicebox and white pepper, leading to a persistent, structured finish that probably needs another year or two to soft. Impressive. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits’ annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 94 VMPowerful yet still retaining a sense of restrained style, this wine is packed with ripe plum and sweet berry fruit flavors, laced with firm, dusty tannins. Acidity filters through the dense texture to give great freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a density that sets it apart, with a pleasantly firm edge to the plum, black cherry and currant fruit, all wrapped with notes of iron, tobacco and savory herb. The long, rock-solid finish is still a bit tight, but it should meld nicely in the cellar. A fine effort for the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2020. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS