Scores
97
Robert Parker
The remarkable 2021 Montrose gets my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis and dark berries mingled with subtle hints of mint, orange, pencil shavings and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered and multidimensional core of fruit underpinned by beautifully ripe, refined tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, it entirely transcends the limitations of the year. This young classic, reminiscent of the estate's 1996 but far better, is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
96+
Vinous
The 2021 Montrose is an inward, brooding wine-classic Montrose, in other words, just attenuated in its intensity by the cool growing season. Spice tobacco, cedar, menthol, scorched earth, gravel and a touch of new oak over time, but the 2021 is really a wine that requires considerable cellaring to reach its potential. Then again, it is Montrose. Elegance meets power here.
96
James Suckling
A very classy and refined Montrose with excellent length and a compact, medium-bodied palate, showing fine, silky tannins and a fresh, bright finish. Lots of currant, blackberry and tar at the end, as well as some graphite. 62% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
96
Decanter
Dark and milk chocolate, raspberries and red cherries on the nose, with a soft vanilla fragrance and some pink floral aspects. Great tension and direction, personality and verve, high acidity but balanced with the tangy red berry fruit – buzzy with energy and focus. Has precision and drive as well as power and concentration, but all with a lovely elegance and sense of style. Classy and classic, a brilliant wine in 2021.