1982 Chateau Montrose 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Estephe 1x750ml

Vinous 92

The 1982 Montrose is an epochal wine for this writer as it opened my mind to the joy of fermented grape juice in the first furlongs of my career. Though I have drunk it countless times thereafter, never from an imperial and no doubt that underlines why this is one of the best examples. Old school on the nose that is armed with scents of forest floor, freshly-rolled tobacco and pencil shavings, it is not earth-shatteringly complex, yet has more grace compared to regular bottles. Likewise, the palate is well balanced and fresh, delicate considering chateau and vintage, fine-boned with darker fruit laced with cedar towards the finish. Delicious, though it s a Montrose that delivers in larger formats these days and would pale against the 1989 or a non-Brettanomyces affected 1990. [Neal Martin, 16/02/2024]

Anticipated maturity: 2024-2038

Robert Parker 88

Tasted at the Montrose vertical in Stamford, the 1982 Montrose remains a delightful Saint Estephe, albeit not one of the stars of the vintage. And it never has been. It was picked between 14 and 29 September after weeks of hot weather. The bouquet is attractive as it leans towards red berry fruit, freshly rolled tobacco and leather, perhaps conservative in the 1982 scheme of things. The palate is medium-bodied with a little graininess to the texture. It is not overly complex, though it is nicely balanced. What is missing is the substance, that insistent grip in the mouth and that peacock’s tail of a finish that reveals a hint of iodine on the aftertaste. It is a Montrose that continues to give pleasure, one that does not seem to have changed much in recent years, but by now you know that it will never catch up with say the 1982 Cos d’Estournel or the first-tier growths. Enjoy this with modest expectations. Tasted May 2016. [Neal Martin, 28/09/2017]

Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030