Winemaker Notes
Blend: 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Barrel Sample for this wine is above 14% ABV.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A perennial no-brainer, the 2019 Château Montlandrie sports a vivid purple hue as well as a gorgeous bouquet of juicy black cherries, blueberries, tobacco, and cedar wood, with some classic chalky minerality in the background. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific purity of fruit, silky tannins, and a great finish. I’d be thrilled to have bottles in the cellar, and it should have 10-15 years of longevity. Best After 2022
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Decanter
Cinnamon and spice box with pulped raspberry fruits on the nose, this has the restrained exuberance of Montlandrie in spades, where the ripe fruits are balanced step by step with fresh acidities and lip-smacking salinity that speaks to the limestone soils of this estate. Cabernet Sauvignon adds a savoury touch, and overall this is yet another example of why the loss of Durantou will be felt for years.
Barrel Sample: 93 -
James Suckling
Blueberries and dark cherries with walnuts and hazelnuts. Some nutmeg, too. Medium-bodied with firm, polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Very fine tannins.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Evoking smoky, graphite and spicy aromas, the 2019 Montlandrie has an exquisite earthy character followed by a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a juicy texture and a slightly austere, delicate finish. This beautiful wine (a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) has a real potential to improve in the cellar.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Though the region is larger than many of its Right Bank neighbors, it is one that consistently produces high quality, well-valued red wines. In fact, Cotes de Castillon can almost be considered a geographical eastern extension of St. Emilion, producing similarly-fashioned reds based on Merlot.
Vineyards in the region’s clay, limestone and sandstone soils produce sturdy red wines. On alluvial terraces, in vineyards closer to the Dordogne River, wines tend to be more supple and fruity. In either case, a great Cotes de Castillon red will be bursting with raspberry, plum and blueberry, have an enticing bouquet of dried flowers and a finish that is plush and opulent.