Unquestionably one of the top 2-3 wines of the vintage, the 2016 Château Montrose is a monument in the making. Checking in as a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new French oak (the balance was in once-used barrels) and representing a tiny 36% of the production, this deep purple-colored 2016 possesses powerful, incredibly classic Saint-Estephe notes of creme de cassis, graphite, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and burning embers. With a powerful, full-bodied style on the palate, a huge mid-palate, lots of underlying structure and tannic grip, and perfect balance, this magical wine will need upwards of a decade or cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.
100 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Feb 2019)
Deep ruby colour, with stormingly attractive aromatics and welcoming opening beats of flowers and grilled spice. Mouthwatering from the off, lives up to its reputation, anis, fennel, graphite, crayon, cassis. Yes it could do with longer in the bottle and yes it's already delicious and you could start to enjoy today with a long carafe. Love this wine. Hervé Berland director, owned by the Bouygues family.
100 points, Jane Anson (Feb 2026)
A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes tearing out of the glass with rambunctious scents of creme de cassis, juicy blackberries, and blueberry pie, leading to hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and tree bark with a touch of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of bright black fruits with loads of spicy sparks and a firm, wonderfully velvety texture, finishing long and energetic.
100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Sep 2023)
One of the greatest wines in this vertical tasting, the 2016 Montrose unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis, wild berries, pencil shavings, violets and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and complete, it's velvety and seamless, with a layered core of vibrant fruit, sweet tannins and a long, resonant finish. At 13.3% alcohol, this unerringly precise, incipiently complex Montrose is the purist's choice.
99+ points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Dec 2023)
Youthful, with dark fruit, dried flowers and a touch of tar on the nose. Really refined on the palate, medium- to full-bodied, with polished dark fruit that broadens and gains volume as it moves across the palate. It shows control and balance despite the concentration, giving the wine energy and finesse. Approachable now, yet clearly structured for further development. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.
98 points, Jacobo García Andrade, James Suckling (Feb 2026)
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