2015 Château Montrose

The 2015 Montrose has wonderful lift and vigor on the nose that puts it ahead of its peers. Blackberry, iodine, cedar and greater mineralité come through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. It's quite fleshy for a Montrose, which renders this one of the more approachable vintages. There is a keen countervailing line of acidity with a dash of spice on the finish. Excellent.

Understated aromatics that need a good five minutes in the glass to open up, this goes long on brambled dark fruits, plenty of slate, graphite, crushed rocks and crayon, impressively slow release of flavours and textures, if not the deep dive through the mid palate of the 2014 or 2016 at this property. It is slowly but surely heading towards its drinking window, and can be drunk now with a long carafe. The smallest selection for the grand vin for 15 years. Hervé Berland technical director.

Only 36% of the production went into the 2015 Montrose, a wine that's reminiscent of a smaller-scaled, less profound version of the estate's 2009. Bursting with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, incense and smoke, it's full-bodied, broad and ample, with a rich, enveloping profile and a long, expansive finish. The 2014 has more potential, but if you're looking for a Montrose vintage to drink young, this is it.