Château Montrose 2011 – Saint-Estèphe 2ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is racy, taut/stretched and offers a very fine, powerful and tightly wound grain. The wine benefits from being decanted. There are notes of fairly ripe black berries, violet and more slightly ripe violet plum combined with hints of strawberry/red berries, lily as well as fine hints of sweet spices, a subtle touch of balsamic, saffron and an imperceptible hint of pepper. The palate is fresh, mineral, fruity and offers a nice definition, suppleness, tension, good structure and a very nice acidity. On the palate this wine expresses notes of wild blackberry, red berries and more slightly balsamic combined with hints of racy/iodic minerality, saffron, fairly ripe black berries, crisp/acidic currants and a subtle hint of cocoa, toast, almond, fresh tea and a touch of cardamom. Good length. The tannins are mellow.