Chateau Montrose - La Dame de Montrose 2010
Price: $79.96
| Producer | Chateau Montrose |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | St. Estephe |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2010 |
| Sku | 602577 |
| Size | 750ml |
The 2010 vintage of this second-label wine from Château Montrose is now in its prime, offering a remarkable drinking experience 14 years after its harvest. The year 2010 was characterized by a dry and relatively hot growing season, echoing the climate conditions of some of Bordeaux's most legendary vintages like 1929, 1945, 1947, 1961, and 1989. From spring through to the fall, this consistent climate allowed the grapes to ripen to perfection, ensuring the ideal balance of power and finesse that Montrose is known for. The vineyard’s homogenous, single-block layout contributed to a uniform ripeness across the grapes, allowing for a confident and serene harvest from late September to mid-October.
This wine is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot. On the nose, complex aromas of morello cherry, raspberry, and dark tobacco mingle with hints of vanilla. A quick decant helps open up its silky tannins, which are both smooth and well-integrated, making this wine especially approachable now. On the palate, it delivers a fresh, ample mid-mouth with a long, elegant finish, featuring recurring notes of raspberry, mocha, and a discreet wood frame. The wine's balance between rich, abundant fruit and refined structure showcases the best qualities of both Montrose and the 2010 vintage—a perfect time to enjoy this exquisite Bordeaux.
Wine Advocate: 94 Points
One of the best second wines, and possibly the best since the 1990 is the 2010 La Dame de Montrose. This represents 36% of the production and is a blend of two grapes – 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot. A superb second wine, opulent and substantively textured, it shares more in common with a flamboyant, exuberant year such as 2009 than most 2010s. Dense purple, its oodles of fruit, luxurious mouthfeel and terrific finish make it a sleeper of the vintage. It’s a wine to buy in abundant quantities and drink over the next 10-15+ years.
James Suckling: 93 Points
Wonderful aromas of blueberries, spices and chocolate with a hazelnut undertone. Creamy texture. Full and very fine with lovely texture and spices and berries. Currants too. Long and gorgeous. Second wine of Montrose.
