La Dame de Montrose 2010 is the second wine of Château Montrose, the St-Estèphe Second Growth whose best vintages are often discussed in “Super Second” terms. In 2010, La Dame was built on a classic Left Bank frame—Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—delivering a wine that multiple critics place among the standout second wines of the year.

Several reviews qualify as excellent, clustering in the 93-point range and speaking to both quality and staying power. Neal Martin, tasting blind, calls the bouquet “very well defined…with beautifully assimilated oak,” highlighting “blackcurrant, blueberry and pastilles,” and concludes, “This surpasses all my expectations” (Neal Martin’s Wine Journal, 93). Wine Enthusiast finds it carries “something of the same gravity as the top wine,” with “firm tannins…black currant fruits” and “a sense of elegance” suited to “mid-term aging” (Wine Enthusiast, 93). James Suckling describes “wonderful aromas of blueberries, spices and chocolate,” finishing “long and gorgeous” (jamessuckling.com, 93). Jane Anson goes further on value and drinkability, calling it “one of the best 2nd wines of the vintage,” with “plump and opulent black cherry and cassis fruits,” noting “plenty of grip and life ahead” even as it’s offering “so much pleasure” (janeanson.com, 93).

At the more measured end, William Kelley notes that at 13 years old it “remains youthful and serious,” with “sweet cassis, violets, plums and pencil shavings,” and a “velvety and seamless” palate framed by “sweet, powdery tannins,” adding it “still has upside ahead of it” (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 91+). Wine Spectator calls it “a textbook example of the vintage and appellation,” citing a “chalky spine” and savory lift, recommending cellaring and forecasting steady mid-term development (Wine Spectator, 91). Jeb Dunnuck likewise emphasizes maturity without fatigue, calling it “mature, yet elegant” and suggesting a 2025–2035 window (jebdunnuck.com, 91).