2019 PLL for me, my favorite 2019 (although I haven’t tasted all the first growths etc.)
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Nostradamus predicted it in the following quatrain
“The claret wines of Bordeaux will burn,
And destroyed with them the fields of vine.
New will be the grapes they plant,
And begin this they will in ‘49.
Who knew Nostradamus and Yoda shared a poetry class?
Total agree.
I really should have paid attention to this advice.
Currently 65yo, the 2000 vintage was my last vintage of significant Bordeaux to amass.
Recollecting the pleasure of the 2k Leo Bart on release compelled me to go ahead and get a few cases of this 2020 Montrose anyway, more for near term infanticide.
Yeah. Opened the first one last night. I struggle giving points based on future potential. Such a crap shoot. This wine is certainly 100% correct in every way and the intensity of that correctness is breath taking.
Not much pleasure right now though.
At 24yo, those Leo Bart’s are still nowhere near the pleasure I found in them on release. I hope to see that wine again in my life.
These 2020 Monties I’ll probably have to responsibly custody for a few years until their greatness becomes more known, when I will likely exchange them with someone for something more approachable.
To paraphrase Dorothy Parker, this is not a wine to be set aside lightly, it should be cellared with great force.
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I felt similarly with the 2020 I opened… a rare wine which I did not score as I struggled a little with it (but like you, not in a bad way!)
You should find someone to trade you a case of the 2019s for your 2020s. The 19s are a bit of a different animal, but I’ve had it twice and it is beautiful from the first sip. Maybe they’ll shut down at some point t but possibly not. None of the 19 left banks I’ve had have been anywhere near shut down - only Clinet.
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Has 2019 again last night and found it tamer and less hedonistic than last go around. Indeed, I opened it up for a Napa drinker and was looking for that hedonism. It was instead more taut, cooler red fruited (red currants). I ddi slow o it from night before (with a shake of bottle to put more air in it) and served it cooler… which I suspect made a difference. A bit of sediment in this bottle as well. I’ll no longer refer to this wine as Napa-esque (especially after trying a horrific 2019 Cade the night before… more corn fructose than syrup).
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Okay so what’s better, 2020 or 2016?
The crazy thing about Montrose is the value proposition. You can consistently find great recent vintages in the $150/bottle range if you look – not cheap but excellent value for a first growth equivalent – if you’re young enough! I’m in my 50s but bought some 2020 and not sure that was wise LOL.