LA DAME DE MONTROSE 2nd wine of Ch. Montrose, Saint-Estephe 2012 Bottle (los)

Description

The 2012 La Dame de Montrose, the second wine of Château Montrose, has received considerable acclaim, earning 92 points from Wine Enthusiast for its ripe and structured profile. Comprising 29% of the estate's total production that year, it features firm tannins that transform into ripe blackberry flavours as the wine opens up. Vinous awarded it 91 points, praising its classy nose filled with vibrant blackberry, wild strawberry, and cedar, complemented by a well-defined palate with a fresh saline entry. While the finish may lack a touch of precision, it remains a fine effort. Decanter scored it 90 points, describing it as an accessible, elegant wine with smoky, charred cherry notes and a silky texture, representing excellent value from a blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon.

*****

WINE ENTHUSIAST 92 points
This second wine of Château Montrose is ripe and structured. In 2012, it formed 29% of total production at Montrose. It opens with severe tannins that transform into ripe blackberry as the wine opens out. Solidly structured and darkly tannic, it needs to age. Drink from 2018. — Roger Voss

VINOUS 91 points
The 2012 La Dame de Montrose has a very classy, well-defined nose with vigorous blackberry, wild strawberry and cedar scents bursting from the glass. The oak is neatly enmeshed. The palate is well-defined with a fresh saline entry (more so than its peers). Ripe and generous, perhaps it tries too hard on the finish and loses some of its precision, but this is a fine effort. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. - Neal Martin

DECANTER 90 points
Tasted by: Jane Anson
Drinking Window: 2017 - 2028
A textbook example of how a second wine should be – a more accessible, joyful echo of the first wine. I loved this at en primeur and still love it now, in contrast to many second wines in this sometimes challenging vintage. Plenty of finesse, with smoky, charred cherries, silky smooth texture and heady perfume. Great value also. From a blend of 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon.