92 -93 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Elegant and racy wine with blueberry, blackberry and mineral aromas. Full to medium body, with fine tannins. Pretty length. Like the 2008, but with less acidity. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.

Jeff Loo, JJ Buckley, April 2011

63% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Over 95 hectares of vineyards are located in the southeast corner of St. Estephe, on deep swathes of gravel, as well as some clay and alluvial sand. The vines enjoy an earlier harvest due to its close proximity to the Gironde, as well as its' southerly aspect. Dark purple color at the core with a slight pink hue towards the rim. Rich aromas of dark chocolate, quince, plum, cassis and dark raspberry, with kirsch liqueur and crushed stones working themselves into the fold. On the palate, this is one of the most balanced wines of the vintage. Acidity is high, but structured and fine grained tannins support throughout. Lingering flavors of black tea, tobacco leaf and blueberry offers a lovely profile on the finish. One of the top wines of the Left Bank! This is a long lived wine that will benefit from 5-8 years in the cellar and enjoyed for two decades.

91 -93 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

A strong effort, the 2011 Montrose exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to abundant black currant and boysenberry fruit notes intermixed with white chocolate, damp earth, truffle and camphor. Medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin and impressive concentration, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot hit nearly 13% natural alcohol (relatively high in Bordeaux, but lower than the 13.2% in 2009 and 13.8% in 2010). The 2011 should drink well for 15 or more years.

The harvest at Montrose was held between September 2-27, and only a tiny parcel in the southern sector of the vineyard was touched by the hail storm that swept through the Pauillac / St.-Estephe border on September 1.

94 -96 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2012

Powerful yet still fruity, this is a true wine of 2011. It shows dark tannins and juicy fruit in equal measure. The wine has weight, complexity and power. A real success. - R.V.

91 -94 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

This has aromatic range and depth of fruit, offering enticing dark currant, plum and blackberry notes that show lots of savory herb and racy chalk notes, with a long, gravelly finish. A terrific effort in one of the more heterogeneous appellations of the vintage.-J.M.

About Winery

Château Montrose one of the eminent estates in Saint Estèphe, the northern most commune bordering the Gironde estuary. At the end of the 18th century, the land where Montrose is presently located was moorland, that belonged to Etienne Théodore Dumoulin, whose son entertained the thought of turning it into a vineyard. He began clearing small parcels in 1815 that revealed gravel soil and later constructed a modest two-storey château-building.

Expansion continued unabated and by 1866 the estate covered 237 acres through astute purchases and exchanges with neighbouring properties. The property then passed through many different families until it was recently purchased by Martin Bouygues, the 8th wealthiest man in France.

The property consists of 68-hectares under vine which slope down towards the Gironde, planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and just 2% Petit Verdot (there was more in the 1950's.) When I visited the property, I was told that the soil is more clayey than surrounding vineyards and therefore the ground is able to retain more moisture than those with a sandier terroir, a crucial factor in dry vintages such as 2003. The soil also contains Pyrenean gravel which absorbs the summer heat and prolongs the daily ripening period.

abridged from Neil Martin's producer profile on eRobertParker

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