The wine is a deep, dazzling purple. Initially rather closed, the nose opens with airing to reveal elegant fresh fruit, blackcurrant bud and eucalyptus aromas. A fresh, clean attack leads into a full, powerful and silky mid-palate, building to an incredibly long finish on notes of brioche and liquorice. An intense and stylish vintage to come back to in a few years’ time. Blend: 57% Cabernet sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast Produced in the magnificent new cellars at Montrose, this big, tannic wine is powerful and concentrated. It has something of the classic severity of a wine from this estate, but that’s mitigated by the ripe, generous blackberry fruitiness and the final freshness of a 2012. A great success, to drink from 2022.
94 Points - James Suckling Fascinating aromas of blackberries with cacao and buttery notes. This is a full-bodied red combining well-rounded tannins, lovely acidity and a mouth-watering finish. Yet turns firm and powerful.
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2012 Montrose is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot picked between 24 September and 20 October. It underwent a particularly long maceration period between 26 and 28 days. It offers more fruit intensity than the 2011 Montrose with blackberry, raspberry and bilberry scents, quite backward and primal yet well defined. The aromatics almost mock you because returning after ten minutes, there are glimpses of underlying dried herb and mineral notes. The palate is medium-bodied, intense and very focused, clearly with more depth and sinew than the 2011, yet displaying impressive precision and energy on the finish, which bodes well for the long-term.
92+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck A backward, masculine and inky colored effort that offers lots of dark, dark fruits, graphite, crushed rock and charred meats, the 2012 is medium to full-bodied, fresh and lively on the palate, with good acidity, plenty of tannin, yet moderate density and extract. Still, this is a beautiful wine that will reward 4-5 years of cellaring and drink nicely over the following two decades or more.
92 Points - Wine Spectator Features lively and pure blackberry, fig and plum fruit, lined with enticing singed mesquite, bramble and tar accents. The muscular, tarry finish shows a twinge of austere chalkiness, but there’s ample flesh for balance. Best from 2017 through 2025.
91 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Deep ruby-red. Floral, mineral nose hints at fresh blackcurrant, but this sample seems tight and closed down currently. On the palate, somewhat strict and linear flavors of blackcurrant and wet stone are lifted by a repeating note of violet. The finish is long and clean but could use more flesh. This classic Bordeaux reminded me of a wine made in the 1970s, but it's easier to drink and less green. Picking took place as late as October 13 for the cabernet sauvignon in the estate's effort to find the ripest possible grapes. About 52% of the estate's total production went into the grand vin, similar to the percentage at Cos but much higher than at Calon-Segur.
17.5/20 Points - Jancis Robinson Bright deep crimson. Exciting, 'pointed', rather sharply etched impact on the nose. Almost shrill but with great density and definition. Very vibrato! A long-distance runner like Cos d'Estournel. Drink 2022-2040. (.)
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