Chateau Montrose 2002

90+ points

Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France. 13%

Medium red colour. Classic rather neutral oak aromas on top of some warm fruit. Nice texture, lovely graceful weight, young pastile fruit, no green under-ripe characters, firm but restrained tannin. Fine young claret, lithesome, nice texture. Beautiful rather than impressive, this really needs time. For example although the oak is restrained (no cosmetic esters) it still needs to integrate and become an enjoyable part of the wine (it’s mildly astringent at the moment).

Very nice but in 2002 this is expensive wine, and in vintages like 2005 it is outrageously expensive.