2009 La Dame de Montrose, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

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Description

La Dame de Montrose is often an extremely austere wine to taste en primeur with the linear tannins of St Estèphe sometimes obtrusively firm. Not so in 2009, where the massive level of tannins are wonderfully succulent and ripe. Dark bramble fruit dominates the nose and the palate is concentrated yet brooding with a gravelly, mocha darkness. This is a very attractive wine.

Colour Red

Sweetness Dry

Vintage 2009

Alcohol % 13.5

Maturity Ready, but will keep

Grape List Merlot (82%),Cabernet Sauvignon (18%)

Body Full Bodied

Producer Château Montrose

Critics reviews

Robert Parker 91/100

Over the last twenty years, Montrose's second wine, La Dame de Montrose has been an excellent buy. The 2009 La Dame de Montrose (almost all Merlot with a tiny bit of Cabernet Sauvignon) is a seductive, succulent effort revealing silky tannins, abundant blueberry and blackberry fruit notes intermixed with notions of damp earth, truffles and camphor, and an appealing, luscious personality. Enjoy it over the next 10-15 years.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 29/02/2012

Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Feb 2012)

Jancis Robinson MW 16/20

28% of production. 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 82% Merlot. Light nose, slightly soapy, with obviously a lot of substance underneath. Very rich and full and succulent but not awfully refreshing. Just a tad heavy. Then rather raw tannins on the finish. A bit ungainly. Very much a second wine rather than a wine sculpted in its own right. jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com - Apr 2010)

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2010)

James Suckling 88-91/100

Aromas of berries, currant and citrus fruit follow through to a full body, with firm and chewy tannins and a medium finish. A little hollow in the midpalate. Second wine of Montrose. james_suckling- Wine Spectator - Apr 2010)

James Suckling, WineSpectator.com (Apr 2010)

About this wine

Merlot

The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.

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