2017 Château Montrose

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Harvested 12 to 29 Sept. No frost damage. Now equipped with 90 small-capacity vats. Deep colour with a slightly lighter rim. Elegant and perfumed with red and dark fruit notes and a cool graphite edge. Fresh and lithe on the palate with a touch of sweetness and very fine tannins. Good length. Not the intensity of the great years but fine and poised. (JL)

Tasted blind.  Deep ruby colour. Good fleshy red fruit and some cassis on the nose with vanilla bean. Fruit and tannin together in a smoky, rich structure. Increasingly muscular but matched by an impressive core of brambly fruit and hints of sweet spice. Long and fine on the finish. Will need a little time. (TP)

The 2017 Montrose is a very pretty, polished wine that speaks much more to finesse than power. Expressive floral and spices notes add an attractive inner sweetness to a Montrose that in 2017 leans more into the red fruit spectrum. Gracious yet deep, with terrific overall balance, the 2017 Montrose is a total winner. What impresses most about the 2017 is its freshness and sophistication. I won't be surprised if Montrose turns out to be even better than this note suggests further down the road. Graphite, licorice, menthol and sage lead to a finish with real grip and freshness. The 2017 is such a classy and promising wine.