1955 Montrose
Buying options
Tasting notes
Tasted from magnum at the Montrose vertical in London, the 1955 Montrose is a legendary vintage for the estate. Certainly my solitary encounter several years ago was off the charts, a view since vindicated by others lucky enough to have encountered it. Certainly here, the 1955 had an amazing, deep, almost refulgent color with a thin tawny rim. The bouquet was very intense with dark berry fruit, bergamot, Earl Grey and even dried honey, unusually opulent for this normally quite foursquare vintage. The palate is swarthy and structured with great depth and balance. One or two commented upon the volatility of this wine and true, this upended the finish, blurring the edges. It is one of those occasions where a perfect bottle would clearly be close to perfection, whereas this magnum pointed you to it rather than gave you a first-hand experience. Therefore, my plus sign against my score indicates that a perfect specimen could be one of the best wines that you will ever taste. Tasted June 2016.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Mid ruby with a great liquorice nose. Very intense with great spice and minerals. Very seductive but not as deep-flavoured as the 1959. Very fine and gorgeous but the acidity is starting to dominate the fruit. (JR)
The 1955 Montrose is a vintage that has blessed my palate on four or five occasions over the years, most memorably from a splendid magnum at the epic London vertical in June 2016. Another magnum was poured in Bordeaux at the Académie du Vin dinner. There is a touch of bricking on the rim, as one would expect. The bouquet remains utterly sublime with red berries, Earl Grey and a soupçon of exoticism, verging upon confit dates. It is more opulent than other 1955s, which tend to be quite reserved. The palate is medium-bodied with just a touch of VA on the entry, but that will not bother you because it has wonderful balance and poise and real sophistication, with brambly red fruit, sous-bois , tobacco and light dried blood notes towards the elegant finish. This is just a glorious mature Saint-Estèphe that is utterly entrancing. Tasted at the Académie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux.
About the producer
Ch. Montrose is one of two Second Growths from Saint-Estèphe and one of the most consistent producers in Bordeaux. The wines from this property are both elegant and powerful, and some of the Médoc's most age-worthy .