2005 Château Montrose, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

Description

Ch. Montrose is at the leading edge of low-impact winemaking in Bordeaux. For more than 15 years, the property has been improving biodiversity, vineyard health energy use – plus all the CO2 from fermentation is captured and turned into bicarbonate of soda. “Ch. Montrose is in the middle of nature,” says spokesperson Lorraine Watrin. “Our vision here is to reveal the beautiful riches of the terroir.”

As big as ever, Montrose has made a real tour de force in 2005, although it is very much an iron fist in a velvet glove. It is a dense wine with enormous tannins, but the latter are cloaked by sweet, concentrated, ripe cassis and plum fruits. It is only on the incredibly long finish (a real feature of the 2005s) that they really reveal themselves, but even then they are very fine. This is not just a brute though, it has great charm and grace. The 65% Cabernet Sauvignon really comes through and helps give the wine that wonderful earthy St Estèphe personality.
Simon Staples, Asia Wine Director

Colour Red

Sweetness Dry

Vintage 2005

Maturity Ready - youthful

Grape List Cabernet Sauvignon (65%),Merlot (31%),Cabernet Franc (3.5%),Petit Verdot (0.5%)

Body Full Bodied

Producer Château Montrose

Critics reviews

Neal Martin MW 97/100

Tasted at the vertical in London, the 2005 Montrose came and delivered the goods. This was the best example of the 2005 that I have tasted, perhaps a wine that is going to prove that, the longer wine lovers can resist temptation. It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Petit Verdot picked between 23 September and 9 October. The bouquet is extremely detailed, displaying more red berry fruit compared to the 2010 Montrose that leans towards black. Graphite and cedar emerge with time, even an unusual floral scent that is uncommon with respect to this property, whilst all the time retaining fantastic focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a ferrous tincture on the entry. There are the first signs of secondary notes (dried leaves and bay leaf), but it is the tannic backbone and the precision that really defines this Montrose at the moment. For certain, it is masculine and structured, yet it has enormous potential, perhaps more than was suggested when it was first released? This is for the long term, but you know that already. Tasted June 2016.Neil Martin - 31/03/2017

Neal Martin MW, (Mar 2017)

Jancis Robinson MW 18.5/20

Dark and chewy and much sweeter and less rigorous than usual. Perhaps because the tannins are so exceptionally ripe. Deep and dense with very fine depth – more lift than the samples of Cos tasted, though perhaps not the sheer density and solidity. Very fine dry mouthful. Fine tannins. Quite sinewy. Very nice neat refreshing though far from obtrusive acidity. Very fine and the power is relatively well hidden. The infamous IPT (tannin index) was apparently even higher here than a Cos – though perhaps we don’t want to get into a competition in this respect. jancis_robinson_mw - 13-Apr-2006

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2006)

Robert Parker 94+/100

The 2005 Montrose has a saturated purple color. As backward as one would expect of a St.-Estèphe, it offers notes of sweet blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, earth, graphite and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic, and still a decade away from prime-time drinkability. This 30+ year wine is clearly outstanding, but not one of the vintage’s most prodigious efforts. Robert M. Parker,eRobertParker.com #219Jun 2015

Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Jun 2015)