Chateau Montrose (Futures Pre-Sale) 2011

Professional Ratings

• 96 Wine Enthusiast
  Powerful yet still fruity, this is a true wine of 2011. It shows dark tannins and juicy fruit in equal measure. The wine has weight, complexity and power. A real success.
  Barrel Sample: 94-96 Points
• 94 Wine Spectator
  This has aromatic range and depth of fruit, offering enticing dark currant, plum and blackberry notes that show lots of savory herb and racy chalk notes, with a long, gravelly finish. A terrific effort in one of the more heterogeneous appellations of the vintage.
  Barrel Sample: 91-94 Points
• 93 James Suckling
  Elegant and racy wine with blueberry, blackberry and mineral aromas. Full to medium body, with fine tannins. Pretty length. Like the 2008, but with less acidity. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.
  Barrel Sample: 92-93 Points
• 90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  Tasted at the château, the 2011 Montrose is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot picked between 2-27 September. The nose does not possess the exuberance of the 2008, a little conservative and lacking personality by comparison. It does repay aeration though and after some time, there are attractive cold stone/limestone notes that begin to emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, grippy tannin. It is a solid Montrose, quite stout, perhaps not the greatest fun you will ever have with a Claret, yet with admirable depth on the lightly spiced, cedar-infused finish. Whilst I prefer the 2008 Montrose, the 2011 is a decent off-vintage that should offer 20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted September 2016.