2012 Ch. Montrose, St Estèphe
Product: 2012-0750-00-8009942
Description
In 2010, Ch. Montrose purchased 22ha of prime land from their neighbours, Ch. Phélan-Ségur. The vineyard exactly borders Montrose on its western side and is planted with 2/3 Merlot and 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon. According to who you speak with, this may be Phélan’s best parcel and the Merlot is especially prized. This has given the Montrose team a short-term puzzle, resulting in a higher than usual proportion of Merlot in the blend for the Grand Vin. This will be adjusted over the coming years as existing Montrose Merlot on excellent Cabernet land near the river is replanted to the latter, but in the meantime there is an embarrassment of fine Merlot on the estate. Not that this is a problem: in 2012 the Merlot excelled. This wine, with 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, is dense and spicy, with the very low-yielding Cabernet fully ripe and giving an earnest backbone to some high quality Merlot. This is perhaps not a traditional Montrose, but it is certainly a beguiling one.
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{region}St Estèphe{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 93/100
[]Wine Spectator:: 90-93/100
[]Robert Parker:: 92-94/100
[]Jancin Robinson:: 17.5+/20
{ratings} {***}