Dame de Montrose 2011

The 2011 La Dame de Montrose also benefitted from a strict selection as well as top-notch winemaking. Composed of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a spicy, ripe 2011 with lots of fat as well as abundant notes of blueberries and black currants in addition to a sexy, open-knit, mid-weight personality. Drink this seductive effort over the next decade.

The harvest at Montrose was held between September 2-27, and only a tiny parcel in the southern sector of the vineyard was touched by the hail storm that swept through the Pauillac / St.-Estephe border on September 1.

The 2011 La Dame de Montrose is a blend of 72% Merlot and 27% Cabernet Franc. It displays fine minerality on the nose with good precision: blackberry, iodine and a touch of pencil lead. The palate is medium-bodied with a very tannic entry, gritty in the mouth with noticeable graphite and tertiary flavours. The back end is missing a little substance but the foursquare finish is satisfying. Fine. Tasted April 2012.

A little lean with spices and berries. Minerals too. Medium body, with fine tannins and a delicately fruity finish. Second wine of Montrose. 72% Merlot -- much more than normal. 28% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Picked over a period of more than three weeks, the reds from Montrose were a triumph of man over nature in 2011. This is one of the second wines of the vintage: Merlot-based, but still dense and almost monolithic. But under the tannic carapace, there are lovely flavours of graphite, black tea and sweet dark fruits. 12+ years.

Good depth and good clarity of fruit. A good minor Montrose. Drink 2014-2020.