The 2023 Montrose Bordeaux Blend from the renowned St Estephe sub-region in Bordeaux, France, is a highly acclaimed red wine that has received exceptional reviews from numerous wine critics. This vintage, produced by Montrose, showcases a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, and is noted for its deep complexity and refined structure.
James Suckling awarded this wine a perfect score, describing it as "the essence of Montrose" and highlighting its "blackberry, blackcurrant, crushed stone and earth" notes. He emphasized its "muscular structure and intensity," calling it a "new era for Montrose" (jamessuckling.com, 4/22/2024).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate echoed the sentiment with another perfect score, praising its "aromas of cassis and wild berries mingled with lilac, violet, and pencil shavings." The review by William Kelley noted the wine's "full-bodied, deep and layered" character and its "long, resonant finish" (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 4/26/2024).
Vinous also provided a glowing review with a score of 98 points, emphasizing the wine's "intense and focused bouquet" and "very pure" palate with "fine-boned tannins" and "pitch-perfect acidity" (Vinous, 4/29/2024). Neal Martin described it as "one of the vintage’s finest contributions from the Left Bank."
Jane Anson awarded the wine 98 points, noting its "gorgeously dark and vibrant fruit" and "inky character." She highlighted the wine’s "organic conversion" and mentioned that it is the first vintage made only from the Terrace 4 section of the vineyard (janeanson.com, 4/15/2024).
Decanter also gave the wine 98 points, appreciating its "floral and aromatic" nose and "smooth and intense" palate. The review praised its "excellent weight and balance of acidity," describing it as "classy and comfortable" (Decanter, 4/8/2024).
Jeff Leve rated the wine between 96-98 points, highlighting its "complex perfume" and "sense of purity, lift, and elegance on the palate" (TheWineCellarInsider.com, 5/4/2024).
Jeb Dunnuck gave it a perfect score, noting its "more plush, deep, opulent" nature and comparing it to the 2010 and 2016 vintages. He described it as potentially "the wine of the vintage" (jebdunnuck.com, 5/8/2024).
Finally, The Wine Independent rated it 99 points, emphasizing its "intense scents of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and raspberries" and its "impressive tension and tight-knit black and red berry flavors" (The Wine Independent, 5/7/2024).
Overall, the 2023 Montrose Bordeaux Blend is celebrated for its depth, complexity, and refined structure, making it a standout wine in the 2023 vintage.