2012 Château Montrose, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

Red
Dry
Full Bodied
Cabernet Sauvignon (57%),Merlot (37%),Cabernet Franc (5%),Petit Verdot (1%)

Ready - youthful

Antonio Galloni: 93/100
James Suckling: 94/100
Neal Martin MW: 93/100
Jancis Robinson MW: 17.5+/20; 18.25/20
James Molesworth: 90-93/100
Robert Parker: 92-94/100
James Molesworth: 92/100
Jane Anson MW: 94/100

Product: 20128009942

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 and 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.”

In 2010, Ch. Montrose purchased 22ha of prime land from their neighbours, Ch. Phélan-Ségur. The vineyard borders Montrose on its western side and is planted with 2/3 Merlot and 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon. According to who you speak with, this may be Phélan’s best parcel, and the Merlot is especially prized. This has given the Montrose team a short-term puzzle, resulting in a higher-than-usual proportion of Merlot in the blend for the Grand Vin. This will be adjusted over the coming years as existing Montrose Merlot on excellent Cabernet land near the river is replanted to the latter. Still, there is an embarrassment of fine Merlot on the estate. Not that this is a problem: in 2012, Merlot excelled.

This wine, with 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, is dense and spicy, with the very low-yielding Cabernet fully ripe and giving an earnest backbone to some high-quality Merlot. This is perhaps not a traditional Montrose, but it is undoubtedly a beguiling one.

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Buying Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Colour Red

Sweetness Dry

Vintage 2012

Maturity Ready - youthful

Grape List Cabernet Sauvignon (57%),Merlot (37%),Cabernet Franc (5%),Petit Verdot (1%)

Body Full Bodied

Producer Château Montrose

Critics reviews

Antonio Galloni 93/100

The 2012 Montrose is one of the bigger, richer wines of the vintage. Super-ripe black cherry, tar, smoke and leather find support in intense tannins that lurk beneath. Today, the tannins are incredibly imposing. The 2012 doesn't have the sheer heft of the epic vintages, but it does have the potential to be one of the real surprises of the year. This is an impressive 2012.Drink 2024 - 2052antonio_galloni, Vinous.com.com (Jan 2016)

Drink 2024 - 2052

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (Jan 2016)

James Suckling 94/100

Fascinating aromas of blackberries with cacao and buttery notes. This is a full-bodied red combining well-rounded tannins, lovely acidity and a mouth-watering finish. Yet turns firm and powerful. Drink in 2020.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (Feb 2015)

Drink 2024 - 2052

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (Feb 2015)

Neal Martin MW 93/100

Tasted at the chteau, the 2012 Montrose is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot picked between 24 September and 20 October. It underwent a particularly long maceration period between 26 and 28 days. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2011 Montrose with blackberry, raspberry and bilberry scents, quite backward and primal yet well defined. The aromatics almost mock you because returning after ten minutes, there are glimpses of underlying dried herb and mineral notes. The palate is medium-bodied, intense and very focused, clearly with more depth and sinew than the 2011, yet displaying impressive precision and energy on the finish, which bodes well for the long-term. Tasted September 2016.Neil Martin - 31/03/2017

Drink 2024 - 2052

Neal Martin MW, (Mar 2017)

Jancis Robinson MW 17.5+/20

Bright deep crimson. Exciting, 'pointed', rather sharply etched impact on the nose. Almost shrill but with great density and definition. Very vibrato! A long-distance runner like Cos d'Estournel. jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com, 25 Apr 2013

Drink 2024 - 2052

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2013)

18.25/20

Superb colour, wonderful expression of graphite, almost Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, terrific density yet almost satiny texture, very good structure and Latour-like depth, a great classic that needs time.

Drink 2024 - 2052

Decanter.com

James Molesworth 90-93/100

Delivers a solid core of black cherry and tobacco leaf, with a briary backdrop on the finish. A bit chewy overall, but this maintains good intensity and a mouthwatering chalky edge. Backward, displaying fine length. james_molesworth, Wine Spectator, April 8 2013

Drink 2024 - 2052

James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com (Apr 2013)

Robert Parker 92-94/100

The inky/purple-colored 2012 offers up scents of white chocolate, creme de cassis, acacia flowers, crushed rocks and forest floor. The tannins are surprisingly soft as the pH is about 3.7, which is slightly higher than the 2010's 3.6. This dense, full-bodied wine is still somewhat monolithic, but it is loaded with concentration and power as well as a long finish. While not totally formed, all the component parts are present. The 2012 will not match the level of the 2009 and 2010, but it should stand out as one of the highlights of 2012. Only 52% of the production made it into the 2012 Montrose, a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested between October 13 and 20), 37% Merlot (picked during the third week of September) and a tiny amount of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The pH was 3.7 and I suspect the alcohol level pushes 14%. It is one of the top successes of the vintage. As new administrator Herve Berland indicated, the severe six-week drought caused the Cabernet skins to become very thick, thus resisting the huge rainfall that fell between October 7 and 9. The late harvest dates suggest very ripe Cabernet Sauvignon, which appears to be exactly what has occurred. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - Apr 2013

Drink 2024 - 2052

Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Apr 2013)

James Molesworth 92/100

Features lively and pure blackberry, fig and plum fruit, lined with enticing singed mesquite, bramble and tar accents. The muscular, tarry finish shows a twinge of austere chalkiness, but there's ample flesh for balance. Best from 2017 through 2025. 18,333 cases made.james_molesworth, Wine Spectator (Mar 2015)

Drink 2024 - 2052

James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com (Mar 2015)

Jane Anson MW 94/100

From a blend of 37% Merlot, 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, Montrose managed to take advantage of the good weather that returned in October, and brought in its last grapes on 20 October. Its gravelly soil also meant it fared far better than the more clay-led St-Estèphe terroirs. Great structure with a wonderful floral aroma and touches of cedar, with good persistency. Astringency on the tannins suggests a good life ahead.Drink 2022 - 2045jane_anson_mw, Decanter.com (Apr 2015)

Drink 2024 - 2052

Jane Anson MW, Decanter.com (Apr 2015)