La Dame de Montrose 2020

A very fresh, driven style, with a racy core of damson plum, red cherry and dried lilac laced with hints of black tea and iron, which nicely extend the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2034.

Soft purple flowers on the nose, quite perfumed and seductive tones with ripe black fruit, peonies, blueberries and plums. Rich and supple, round with mouthwatering acidity - clean and crisp, steely and mineral with a core of crushed stones, pencil lead, slate and liquorice-edged black fruits. Power and concentration - it's plush and potent, but also quite tight with the flavours expanding vertically. Not as generous and openly friendly at this point but so svelte and well worked with a sense of style to it.

Blackcurrants with crushed stone and slate. Lead pencil. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and precision. Fantastic length and focus. One of the best Dames I have had. Organically grown grapes. 48% merlot, 46% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot and cabernet franc.

The 2020 La Dame de Montrose has slightly higher alcohol than the Grand Vin. It offers a lovely bouquet of predominantly black fruits, cedar and light briny notes, with impressive focus and intensity for a Deuxième Vin. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on entry, quite fresh considering the warmth of the summer, fine minerality and a saline finish. There is a pleasant strictness at the moment—an accomplished La Dame that should deliver 15 years of drinking pleasure.

Earthy notes, blackberries, herbs, licorice, and roses are found on the nose. On the palate, the wine is packed with layers of dark red and black fruits, round, creamy tannins, and a touch of roasted, leafy herbs in the mid-palate and on the finish. This baby Montrose is perfect to enjoy while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2023–2038.

The second wine of Château Montrose, the 2020 La Dame De Montrose is terrific, with a sunny, forward, medium-bodied style as well as lots of ripe red and black fruits, notes of sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and spice, supple tannins, and outstanding length. Open and complex, it’s going to shine for 15 years if well-stored. The blend is 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, checking in at the same alcohol as the Grand Vin, 13.4%.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: (44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot) Spicy, powerful, deep, dark bouquet, cassis, black berries, wood. Medium-bodied, balanced palate with good backbone, dark fruit, fine sandy tannins, muscular structure, good aromatics, and a bitter finish. Has room to improve.

Firm, almost fierce tannins, packed with dark chocolate, pencil lead, graphite, blueberry and cassis fruit. Less generous than usual at this early stage, with muscle and a classically reserved character; bitter almond and tar on the close. Give this a few years to soften. Harvest September 10 to 29. Yield 30 hl/ha.

The 2020 La Dame de Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of black cherries, mulberries, and juicy plums jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of cracked black pepper, mossy tree bark, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate coats the mouth with juicy black fruits and mineral accents, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering peppery note.

La Dame de Montrose stands with determination and poise. Over the years, this wine has carved out its place. It embodies a wine that is not there by default, but clearly aims to showcase the abilities of a terroir and a team to produce great wines, regardless of status. In this spirit, we avoid speaking of a second wine and prefer to speak of a lady! Finesse and power are aligned, confirming that this is a wine we can rely on in the years to come… and beyond!

The nose is fruity and offers freshness with a subtle floral edge. It reveals notes of boysenberry and, more lightly, fairly ripe small black fruits and morello cherry, joined by small touches of cornflower and licorice, as well as fine hints of fresh tobacco, cardamom, and a discreet touch of Madagascar pepper. The palate is fruity, fresh, mineral, and balanced, offering good definition, juiciness, freshness, minerality, a tangy backbone, finely taut tension, and a beautiful ripe richness (yet fresh), along with density, a touch of darkness, and an airy character. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant and morello cherry, and more lightly, vibrant small black berries, combined with touches of fresh/pulpy raspberry, cornflower, Zan, cardamine, as well as fine hints of incense, a touch of cardamom, a discreet note of pleasant bitterness (coffee), violet, and a subtle hint of camphor (in the background).

(44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot) Spicy, powerful, deep, dark bouquet with cassis, black berries, and wood. Medium-bodied, balanced palate with solid core, dark fruit, fine sandy tannins, muscular structure, good aromatics, and a bitter finish. Can improve further. 16/20 2025 - 2036