We are loving this fantastic Cab blend and I am thrilled to share it with you! This 2006 Chateau Montrose is a Second Growth from St. Estephe on Bordeaux’s Left Bank and this historic property made one of the finest wines in the killer 2006 vintage. At 10 years of age, this Super Second is just opening up and the sheer quality of the wine is impossible to miss! The 2006 Montrose is loaded with currant, spice, chocolate and wild berry notes and is deep, complex and full-bodied with chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. The 2006 vintage was the inaugural year for the new owners of Montrose and they managed to earn back to back perfect 100 point scores in 2009 and 2010 . The quality of Montrose is moving up to the “Super Second” quality level with these efforts and can make wines that rival First Growths in any given year making them the smartest buys in the region. This is a must buy bottle of Bordeaux for sure!

2006 Chateau Montrose St. Estephe

Graileys Price: $109 per bottle | $1260 per OWC ($105/btl!)

94+ Robert Parker: The 2006 Montrose is an undeniable success. A blend of approximately two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, one-third Merlot, and a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, the new owner Jean Delmas produced a wine with sweet, silky tannins that are as high as those found in the great Montrose vintages of the past. The 2006 is extraordinarily elegant and finesse-styled, but it exhibits stunningly concentrated, sweet blackberry and cassis fruit with hints of flowers and minerals. Full-bodied with a savory, expansive mid-palate as well as sweet, noble tannins, this beauty will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 20-25+ years.

This is a killer vintage of Montrose that is still under the radar given the extremely high quality level! After the much more heralded 2005 vintage, the 2006s have proven to be the best “shadow vintage” of the decade. This will blow you away anytime over the next 2 decades! Grab some while it lasts. kim@graileys.com