Posted this in 2000 Bordeaux thread:
Had the 2000 Montrose Saturday. Three hour decant. Fill fine, cork in excellent shape; bought in 2003-04. Nose was beautiful, lovely lighter purple color with some bricking on the edges. Paired with ribeyes. Seemed ready to contribute to a great evening. First sip, nice but somewhat muted. Drank over a couple of hours with little change. Paired nicely with the steak but was not memorable. The nose and the color suggested to me that it would be better than it actually was. Canât guess on how long to hold, but I will wait a few years before trying the next '00 Montrose.
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Thanks for the data point and it was just as I would expect. My stored case since 2004 will remain untouched.
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Have you considered that maybe the wine is past its prime? I am not sure it is going to have a resurgence from where it is at after a quarter century? I recently opened a 2008 Montrose that I purchased at auction. Now, it is not nearly the vintage that 2000 is, though it is 8 years younger, and who knows how it had been stored prior to auction, but it was definitely a bust and no longer a good wine.
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I missed this until now. For another data point, a 2000 Montrose last month was one of the wines of the night at a 2000 dinner, along with Leoville-Barton and Pichon Baron. It was still on the young side but showing plenty of complexity and fine tannic structure.
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Not a chance, assuming proper shipping and storage. Many of the big big 2000s are just getting to their prime window and many will still benefit and improve with more aging.
This is my recent note on a 2000 Montrose:
2000 Chateau Montrose . Always a classic Bordeaux, and almost always shows in that excellent category for me. Most recently popped a 2005 and immediately turned around and back-filled. The 2005 is a better wine, but damn this 2000 is really only a hair or two behind. A big, powerful, meaty wine of heft. I hate admitting this wine was a last-minute pop and pour, as it really does deserve some decant time. What it did reveal was wonderful. A dark black fruit and cassis core, some dry earth and leather, and more rare meat. Big structure on this wine, clearly an ager. Would love to have one of these every 3-5 years over the next 20. (95 pts.)
Iâm not touching my 2008s yet. The 2005 is phenomenal, Iâll give it another 5.
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Had a 2000 Montrose a few weeks ago that a friend opened and it was quite expressive. A big wine, slightly rustic in flavor profile IMO, definitely a different era of winemaking than what the more recent Montrose Iâve tasted seems like it will age into, but very good. Very youthful in appearance and intensity. No rush but I also wouldnât hesitate to open one if you have multiple bottles.
One more data point, but from a year ago. Incredibly good, and just emerging from its adolescence. Will be excellent, but not quite up to Latour which we tasted alongside. 95 points and 98 points.
If you say so, but in my humble experience, when a 25 year old wine is âmuted,â it is not a scenario in which a few years later it will come out of the gate packing a punch. Rather, it indicates to me it is on a downward slide and will only get more âmuted.â
No. Classic Bordeaux has a tendency to have a long closed phase, particularly highly structured vintages and producers. I have not opened many 2008 recently but the ones I have opened all and needed more time. Wouldnât think of opening Montrose, and itâs a favorite of mine.
A wine like Montrose in a good year is really not a stretch for it to age to 30 to 50 years. Easy. Had a â00 last year or so and itâs enjoyable but so so young.
But as they say after 20 years, there are only good bottlesâŚ.from OP note, may have just not been a good bottle.
This is my second of a half case I bought just after release. I had the first last late Summer (i think) with a similar impression. They were both good, just not great. I have had the 2000 Cos, Palmer, Baron, Lalonde, and others over the last couple of years. The Montroses have been the least enjoyable, but again still good. Could be something common to my half case, hope not. All have been properly stored. I will try again in a few years.
A 2000 Montrose was young for you for what reason? For instance, you thought it was too tannic? Too much fruit? Or it lacked the tertiary flavors
My last 2 notes, not open or expressive like 89/90. Montrose needs a lot of time.
- 2000 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, MÊdoc, St. Estèphe (5/12/2023)
Excellent Montrose. Had next to the '90 and it was easy to connect the dots with the common DNA. Black fruited with red fruit highlights--still quite youthful and not yet showing any tertiary fruit notes. Smokey cedar nose really sneaks up on you with complexity. Tannins are softening but still quite prominent and a bit austere on the finish. Finish shows just a little leather and cedar maturity and hints of coffee. Great stuff still needing a few years. (94 points) - 2000 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, MÊdoc, St. Estèphe (7/17/2021)
Benchmark purchase from 2020, but had the lowest (still in neck) fill of my bottles from multiple sources. Cork was without issue. Still a deep pitched crimson color without bricking. "Cleaner" than the '95 but I have a hard time imagining the '16 will evolve into something like this as it still has a hint of loam and farm animal. Fruit has some early maturity notes but is still rather primary, mostly blacks and red highlights. Nose is a bit shy but has some flint and smoke notes mixed in with tea leaves. Lengthy deep finish. Course tannins on the back end. I suspect this bottle was a bit advanced compared to others given the fill--but still showed very well and predicts a strong future. (94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Man thatâs wild, I had a 2008 Montrose in November of 2023 that drank quite young even after a long decant. It was promising enough that I bought more and have been debating when to open another. Iâve had a few 2008s at around the 15 year mark (Montrose, Haut Bailly, Pontet Canet, Leoville Barton) and theyâve all seemed excellent with a lot of upside.
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Had 2008 Montrose in Feb. Decanted off minor sediment followed over several hours. This is just getting started, lovely black fruit and graphite. Medium+ body, nice acidity, supple tannins. Very good now, with room for upside as this develops more secondary characteristics.
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Recently had the 2008 Montrose last month - itâs still a rather young wine that needs some air. Looking forward to checking in on the 2000 after these notes
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Got to try a 2000 Montrose at a company party last night alongside some other heavy hitters and many thought it was the wine of the night. Really really fantastic after only 30 minutes or so in the decanter, and it just continued to improve. Had it alongside a 1990 Lynch Bages that was fantastic and getting even better as the evening went on, but the bottle went pretty quick.
I had this blind on release, with a group of some of the big-hitters of the vintage. It was my preferred wine of the night. Such superb perfume and balance. I duly bought a case and should have one left somewhere in the mess that is my cellar.
I think the 86s could still use more time.
Can I come work at your company 
We have Caymus at a crazy event at my company
Perks of working at a winery 