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It has been some years since the last time I cracked a bottle and at 22 years of age, it would be fair to say that this has reached its apogee with a really lovely and fully mature nose redolent of fully mature secondary aromas that do not yet evidence any notes of sous-bois. There is excellent richness to the delicious, sappy and still solidly well-concentrated flavors that possess excellent depth and fine length. This is not an especially refined effort but one that is most satisfying and while there is no further upside development to be had, neither is there any rush to drink up. In a word, lovely.Burghound | 91 BHA firm wine that offers generous, clear black cherry, raspberry and spice aromas and flavors. Solid, with pure, focused flavors balanced by enough acidity and tannin. Drinkable now to 1998. 375 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Good deep red. Deeper aromas of black cherry, raspberry, pepper and licorice. Broad-shouldered but very closed, showing less sweetness today than the ’96 Pignan. Red fruit flavors complicated by notes of leather, licorice and herbs. Strong acid/tannin backbone for aging. But tough going today.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

Not a great vintage (very hot August, rain in the last half of September), but the Merlot was luscious and wines made from the best plots of Cabernet were very rich. Perfectly evolved, the wine is now silky textured, showing smoky notes of coffee, tobacco and cocoa. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DECNo written review provided. | 92 W&SA classic effort, the 1998 Montrose exhibits a dense purple color in addition to a sweet nose of jammy cassis, licorice, earth, and smoke. It is a powerful and full-bodied wine with well-integrated tannin. Given Montrose’s tendency to shut down, it is performing better out of bottle than I expected. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 1998 Montrose was the only recent vintage that was omitted from the series of verticals that I conducted in 2016. It is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot picked between 22 September and 6 October. Funnily enough, I had not tasted it since en primeur! It has a high-toned and expressive bouquet with blackberry, leather, a touch of menthol and dried herbs, a little earthiness coming through with time. There is still plenty of freshness here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. This offers fine balance and a smooth texture, slightly lactic in texture with tobacco and even a touch of latte towards the black fruit-driven finish. There is almost a case for this Montrose being too melted in character. Fine, but I think it could have been better. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A very classic wine for patient connoisseurs, Sociando Mallet makes no compromises and continues to produce one of the finest wines among non-classified estates in Haut-Medoc. Dense purple to the rim, the opaque purple-colored 2010 offers up notes of graphite, blueberry and black raspberry fruit, a hint of cassis, some licorice and wet rocks. Deep, full-bodied and almost excruciatingly tannic, this full-throttle, balls-to-the-wall style of wine needs at least 8-10 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades or more.Robert Parker | 91+ RPThe 2010 Sociando Mallet has a well defined, pure bouquet with blackberry, bilberry and light estuarine scents that gently waft from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a fine bead of acidity and good weight. It just needs more complexity and terroir expression on the finish. Give this another two or three years. This is one wine where I have encountered better bottles. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 90+ VMLifted aromas of eucalyptus and menthol, with an initial attack of juicy dark fruit - but this drops on the mid-palate, and the tannins still feel a touch drying. Needs more time. Drinking Window 2019 - 2029.Decanter | 90 DEC

Bright red. Sappy black raspberry on the very ripe but energetic nose. A juicy, nicely balanced midweight with excellent dark fruit intensity and persistence. Finishes with a note of torrefaction.Vinous Media | 90 VMA cool and pure nose of red currant, earth and a hint of spice introduces detailed, energetic and delicious middle weight flavors that display excellent depth and length in the context of the appellation. Lovely stuff.Burghound | 89-91 BH

Graceful mid purple with a supple and elegant dark red fruit. A certain nobility to this, and a little deeper riper and darker fruit than the village blend. Very attractive fruit including some blackberry. Maybe too dark for some? Tasted Nov 2020.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMA less expressive, even somewhat brooding nose, grudgingly reflects notes of poached plum, black raspberry and spice nuances. The finer and more mineral-driven middle weight flavors possess equally good verve along with fine depth and persistence on the pit fruit-inflected finish. This is lovely and notably less Gevrey in character; indeed its proximity to Morey is evident.Burghound | 90-92 BHMingling aromas of cherries, berries, peonies and orange rind, the 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echézeaux is medium-bodied, lively and elegant. As usual, it’s a touch less rich and muscular than its Vieilles Vignes counterpart from the other side of the appellation.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

The 2021 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne marries the natural intensity of the year with the savory minerality typical of Asti. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice and crushed rocks all race out of the glass. This is another stellar wine from Vietti.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis shows notes of chocolate and hazelnuts with ripe wild berries and sweet spice undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with dusty tannins and a bitter chocolate character. Tense with a fruity finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS