Château Montrose – 2012 – Saint Estèphe 2nd Grand Cru Classé

Bright colour, still a very youthful appearance with a bright purple hue, high density. Beautiful purity on the nose. This one is displaying a high level of ripeness. Great intensity, with inky dark fruit, black currant, dark cherry and plum. Excellent purity with a good presence of stony minerality. Very discreet oak. There is a slight hint of roasted coffee bean, tobacco leaf. Very fine purity. That is bloody good. Very high density here. I really like this concentration. It is a high concentration with let’s say a modest extraction. The tannins are really finely polished, but they still give a really good lift here. Layers of inky dark fruit. Great purity with fine and spicy blackcurrant flavor. Some notes of bitter chocolate. Excellent density and vibrant acidity as well. Good integration of oak and a very long finish. Quite massive today. I would say but it is mostly the fruitiness which has this density and weight. Really long and lingering finish, with excellent clarity and bright freshness. Very mineral, very persistent and highly potent. Very fine.

Tasted by the Best Sommelier of the World, Andreas Larsson.