PV Tasting Notes
Given the monumental proportions of the 2008 Montrose, it is not surprising that the property's "second" wine is also outstanding. This densely plum/purple coloured wine is not as forbiddingly backward as its bigger bother, as the nose offers scents of earth, cassis, licorice, and spices. Full-bodied, super-rich, but less tannic than the Montrose, La Dame ranks as one of the best second wines I have tasted for the vintage. Tasted March 2009.
Independent Review89-90 points Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate, April 2009
The second wine is the sexy, sensual La Dame de Montrose. The 2008, which represents 28% of the estate’s production, is a blend of 56% Merlot and 44% Cabernet Sauvignon. With a deep ruby/purple color, sweet tannins, seemingly low acidity, and lush, concentrated flavors, it should be a crowd-pleasing head-turner for at least 10-15 years.
Chateau Montrose
95-97 points Robert Parker - Wine Advocate April 2009
An undeniably great Montrose, after some time in wood, the 2008 should achieve the heights of the 2003, 1990, and 1989. Stylistically different from those wines, the 2008 harvest took place between September 29 and October 15, and yields were a modest 44 hectoliters per hectare. This superb terroir west of the Gironde River possesses a remarkable amount of gravel in the soil base. Sixty percent of the production made it into the 2008 Montrose, and the person responsible for so many great Haut-Brions, Jean-Bernard Delmas, came out of retirement to take charge over the last several vintages for proprietor Martin Bouygues. An inky/purple color is accompanied by sweet, pure aromas of black fruits and spice. This full-bodied wine exhibits superb concentration, sweet tannin, and a multilayered, textured, full-bodied mouthfeel with no hard edges. The sweetness of the tannin, the extraordinary purity of fruit, and the intense aromatics suggest a year of great ripeness. The difference between the 2008 and the 2003, 1990, or 1989 is the freshness and purity of expression. This should be a long-lived wine (35+ years), yet it will drink surprisingly well at a young age. For some reason, it comes across like an even more pure example of the 1989, even though there is nothing essentially comparable between the two harvests.