1959 Montrose

Tasted at the Montrose vertical in Stamford, the 1959 Montrose out-performed the 1961. It displayed a rich, deep red color with some bricking on the rim commensurate with age. The bouquet is winsome: black and red fruit, dried herbs, chlorophyll and rose petals that gently unfurl. The palate is medium-bodied with notes of cedar and damp earth, commendable depth of fruit and quite structured for a 1959. No, not a sumptuous old Claret, perhaps a little serious, yet this 1959 Montrose is just full of elan and will continue to drink well for a decade if bottles are of sound provenance. Tasted April 2016.

Even this wine from the supposedly friendlier vintage (than 1961) showed quite a lot of acidity but there was some ripe fruit in there too. Old fashioned but creditable. I'd probably have revered it more if I had not enjoyed the 1990 and 1982 en route to the 1959. (JR)

Great wine, even if so variable bottle-to-bottle that three bottles had to be opened in total. The better bottle I tasted was beautifully clean, clear and mature (compared to, say, the two vintages from the 1960s) with quite extraordinary purity and linearity. There was so much pure fruit that it tasted almost burgundian to me. Very gorgeous with lots of power and refreshing rather than aggressive acidity. This is wonderful proof of just how great the 1959 vintage was. (JR)