2011 Château Montrose, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

We usually struggle with tasting Montrose this early on in its life. It’s not only because it is the most Northerly “Super Second” and really tends to need that shot of Indian Summer to finish it off, but you also try a couple of their other wines first, which are ok but very firm, structured, tannic and ungenerous affairs and when you come to taste La Dame and the Grand Vin your mouth is coated with high levels of tannin and acidity.

However, this year, the Grand Vin brushes away everything in its path with its rich, multidimensional, complex, and, honestly, glorious weight, power and fruit. The team was a little split on this, but this Montrose, for me is more subtle and refined and consequently far more rewarding than the dynamic duo of 2009/2010. It may also surprise us with a reasonably affordable price. Fabulous.

Simon Staples, Asia Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd