Chateau Montrose - La Dame de Montrose 2016

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Showing polish, freshness and energy in the juicy Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine offers a lot of ripe fruit, spice, tobacco and earthy characteristics on the nose and palate. Clearly this is a top vintage for La Dame de Montrose."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Extremely perfumed and beautiful with bright, violet and plum aromas. Full to medium body, very fine and firm tannins and transparent fruit. Linear and refined with a very long finish. Second wine of Château Montrose. Try in 2022."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2016 Dame de Montrose is also gorgeous, and the second wines of Bordeaux continue to gain in quality. A blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 30% new oak, this beauty has impressive amounts of creme de cassis, graphite, violets, and damp earth that give way to a medium to full-bodied, layered, pure, and seamless beauty that has real class. It’s well worth seeking out and will hopefully help you to keep your hands off the grand vin for at least a few years."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Appetising freshness but a little hint of wood shavings (Cabernet Franc?) on the nose. Bone dry and pretty vital but relatively early maturing. Lovely drink with St-Estèphe minerality. Everything in the right place but not a long-distance runner. Very pure though."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Tannins are very present in this dense wine. But so are vibrant, crisp black-currant flavors and acidity. The combination of tannins and fresh acidity will drive this second wine of Château Montrose forward. Drink from 2023."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2016 La Dame de Montrose is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up cassis, earth, tilled soil, truffles and chocolate-covered cherries on the nose. Medium-bodied, the palate is firm, elegant and restrained with a mineral finish."

WEINWISSER: "52 % Merlot, 35 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 11 % Petit Verdot, 2 % Cabernet Franc. Tiefes Granat mit aufhellendem Rand. Dichtes, blaubeeriges Bouquet mit Veilchen, schwarzem Pfeffer und Wachsnoten. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit spröder Textur, im Finale fleischig werdend mit Lakritze und Pflaumenhaut. Knallharte Selektion!"

DECANTER: "A gorgeous second wine in this vintage. It’s almost seductive, with deep, rich spice and fruit flavours on the palate, along with plenty of vibrancy and aromas of violets, plums and smoke. La Dame represents 42% of the estate’s production – and is a real bargain for the quality. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035"

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung, zart floral, Nuancen von Lakritze, schwarze Kirschen, etwas Brombeerkonfit, frische Orangenzesten. Saftig, rotbeeriger Touch, präsente Tanninwürze, lebendiger Säurebogen, Kirschen, zitroniger Anklang im Abgang, blättrig im Rückgeschmack."