La Dame de Montrose, St-Estèphe 2015

Truly an incredible vintage for Right Bank wines. Perhaps, not quite at the level of 2009, a bit close. Pomerol and Saint Emilion are just stunning! Rich, ripe, fleshy, opulent, and even decadent, the wines taste and feel great! The Merlot on the clay soils is the highlight of the vintage, but the Cabernet Franc performed almost as well. Pessac Leognan is also quite strong. Margaux is a revelation.

The 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot that was picked between 15 September and 8 October. It has a perfumed, floral and pure bouquet with black cherries, blueberry and violets, all with commendable delineation for a deuxième vin. The palate is well balanced with a more sumptuous texture compared to its fellow Saint Estèphes, thanks to that lush Merlot that forms the core of this wine. It has commendable energy and feels approachable, therefore with 3-4 years in bottle, you should have yourself a fine if not exceptional La Dame de Montrose. Drink 2019-2032

90 points, Neal Martin