Château Montrose is probably the most in-form property on the left bank of Bordeaux, with perhaps only Pichon Lalande giving it a run for its money within its peer group. Its recent run of form began with the 100 point 2009 and 2010 vintages (both made by the man now taking Pichon Lalande to new heights, Nicolas Glumineau) and this run continues with 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. In each of these years Montrose have produced a clear contender for the wine of the vintage.

2020 Château Montrose is one of the peaks thus far. Overall winner at the Southwold tasting (in 2019 it came second only to Latour), it has five 99 point scores from the major critics and the perfect 100 from the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley.

Kelley writes “Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making”, continuing “It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009”.  This is particularly impressive, as anyone lucky enough to have recently tasted 2009 Montrose will affirm. In his previous note on the same wine he writes “this will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Médoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth". 

Neal Martin, scoring it 99 points, writes “This is far more detailed than either the 2019 or 2018, a symmetrical Montrose with unerring detail and mineralité, its silky texture belying the power underneath. This is unequivocally a brilliant wine and a benchmark in recent years. Contender for wine of the vintage”

Our own Thomas Parker MW is also 99 points (tasting blind, that might be where the extra point went): “Another stellar showing for a wine shaping up as contender for wine of the vintage…This is a powerhouse, unerring in intensity yet incredibly precise and sophisticated. Outstanding, and built to age for decades”.