A poised and classically styled Montrose, 2017 showcases the finesse of Cabernet Sauvignon in a vintage spared from frost. Intensely aromatic with redcurrant, cassis, florals, and graphite, this wine marries power with elegance. The palate is vibrant and seamless, carried by fine tannins and precision-cut acidity. Beautifully austere in youth, yet full of promise, this is a wine that rewards patience and speaks with quiet authority.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 97
Published: Dec 19, 2019

Extremely aromatic with currant, wild-herb and fresh-violet aromas. This is regal cabernet sauvignon at its finest. The palate has unwaveringly long and defined tannins that carry such fresh, piercingly pure, redcurrant and cassis flavors. A twin to the superb 2015? A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. 

Decanter | D 96
Published: Nov 21, 2019
Drink: 2027-2048

Delicious! This is beautifully austere, in the best way, closed in right now, but those layers of liquorice and black chocolate are unmistakable, giving intensity and concentration. A wine that would clearly merit time in bottle and is in it for the long haul. Powerful and tight with enjoyably bitter edges and notes of reduction but that only give confidence in how it will age. No frost meant a yield of 45hl/ha, 37% of which was for the grand vin. 60% new oak.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Dec 21, 2023
Drink: 2025 - 2043

The 2017 Montrose is one of the most compelling wines of the vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, rose petals and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with an enveloping core of vibrant fruit, supple tannins and a perfumed finish. This is an unusually suave, youthfully approachable vintage of Montrose that will offer a broad drinking window.

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 17+
Published: Nov 22, 2022
Drink: 2025-2040

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Harvested 12 to 29 Sept. No frost damage. Now equipped with 90 small-capacity vats.
Deep colour with a slightly lighter rim. Elegant and perfumed with red and dark fruit notes and a cool graphite edge. Fresh and lithe on the palate with a touch of sweetness and very fine tannins. Good length. Not the intensity of the great years but fine and poised.

Chateau-montrose.com

Main characteristics of the vintage 2017
The year started with a mild and dry winter, marked by 2 weeks of cold at the end of January. The temperatures remained mild in the spring, allowing uniform bud burst as from 29 March. An early vintage seemed likely, but the growth cycle slowed down at the end of April under the influence of cooler temperatures. The Gironde estuary then played its essential role of thermal regulator during the 3 consecutive days of frost, which spared our vineyard.

The summer-like conditions in May and June favoured uniform flowering. (Full flowering on 29 May). The vine calmly continued its development, without any particular pressure from disease, an undeniable advantage in the management of our 45 hectares under organic viticulture. The rainy spell at the end of June led to the start of veraison on 21 July. After a dry and temperate summer, the September rains accelerated the ripening process. Full ripeness of the 4 grape varieties was therefore achieved in a very short time. Harvest took place under ideal conditions. The team of around a hundred pickers worked within the plots, in a very smoothly run operation. This precision work was reflected in the cellar, recently equipped with more than 90 small-capacity vats. Extraction was gentle and maceration slightly shorter than last year. For our blends, we have a rich aromatic palette of 82 batches of classic free-run wines, fully expressing their terroir, along with 9 batches of press wine giving us the possibility to adjust the tannic density of our wines with extreme precision. The climate of 2017 was particularly favourable for our Cabernet Sauvignons. This year they make up 76% of the Grand Vin blend, giving this vintage a very classic profile.

Period of harvest: From September 12th to September 29th

Blending: Cabernet Sauvignon : 76%, Merlot : 20%, Cabernet Franc : 3%, Petit Verdot : 1%

Tasting notes
The colour is deep and shiny. The complex nose has a beautiful aromatic intensity of raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry accompanied by floral and mineral notes. The powerful and balanced structure reveals the purity of the fruit. The mouth, full and elegant, is marked by the persistence of a juicy fruit and reveals supple and mellow tannins. A vintage that perfectly reflects the signature of its terroir and has a very good ageing potential.