La Dame de Montrose 2018

Made to the same rigorous standards as the First Wine, from grapes grown in the same vineyard, La Dame de Montrose is the second wine of Château Montrose,  a heavy weight from Saint-Estèphe, just north of Pauillac.  Supple and silky Merlot generally predominates in the varietal mix. Its very pronounced red fruit aromas and flavours reflect another expression of the terroir in a distinctive style which is less elaborately complex than that of the First Wine.

Consistently reliable and reaching maturity sooner, the wine was created in 1983 in tribute to Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran Château Montrose single-handedly from 1944 to 1960. Production varies from one year to another but accounts on average for 40-45% of the total production of the Montrose vineyard. Aged for 12 months in 30% new french oak barrels.

"The 2018 La Dame de Montrose has a sweet black cherry and crème de cassis scented bouquet, scents of violet developing in the glass. It is like an exaggerated version of the previous vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with thick tannin. There is real volume and density to this La Dame de Montrose, the Cabernet Sauvignon expressive and imparting a graphite like note, despite being proportionately less than the Merlot in the blend. This is a very well crafted La Dame de Montrose that is going to give 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure." - Neal Martin, vinous.com, (November, 2019), Ratings: 90-92, Drink: 2022-2042

"Composed of 52% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, harvested from September 17 to October 5, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 La Dame de Montrose delivers a profound nose of baked plums, blackberry preserves and raisin cake with touches of dark chocolate, licorice, Chinese five spice and sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich and opulent in the mouth, it fills the palate with ripe, generous fruit, backed by firm, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and spicy." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, Ratings: 90-92

 "Looking first at the second wine of this incredible Saint-Estèphe Château, the 2018 La Dame De Montrose is a blend of 52% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all brought up in 30% new French oak. Lots of blue fruits, sappy herbs, tobacco, violets, and graphite notes all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a round, concentrated, textured mouthfeel, and enough tannins to warrant 3-4 years of bottle. A beautiful second wine with lots of Saint-Estèphe character, it will have 15-20 years of longevity." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, Rating: 92+, Drink: 2024-2044