2019 PLL for me, my favorite 2019 (although I haven’t tasted all the first growths etc.)
1 Like
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.
1 Like
Cheers 
3 Likes
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.
2 Likes
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).
1 Like
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.
I finally tried a bottle of this, and wow. This is the first time I have understood the hype about the new era of Bordeaux. This had remarkable lift and freshness for such a young Bordeaux. I actually found it delightful to drink right now, today. It had a beautiful tangy red fruit quality that was kind of a combination of sweet raspberry and tart cranberry/sour cherry along with this subtle layering that had elements of the darker blackberry sweetness in traditional Bordeaux. To me this felt completely different than forbidding heavy young Bordeaux of the past. In fact, I found myself wondering how differently or even how well it would age if it had this kind of lightness/lift and accessibilty young. The big blocky ‘mass’ of tannin and dark fruit that has always signaled aging capacity to me wasn’t in the forefront here at all, instead there was this complex layered quality where you felt there was more depth lurking in the background but couldn’t immediately sense it, if that makes sense. It also wasn’t in any way Napa like – no big chocolatey sweetness, it was red-fruited and subtle in comparison. Extremely drinkable and ‘more-ish’, the two of us drained the bottle in no time.
I don’t really know what to make of this as a young Montrose from a big year, but I no longer feel so nervous about having bought a 2020 Montrose at my advanced age. Perhaps it will shut down in the future, IDK.
10 Likes