Chateau Montrose Saint Estephe 2eme Cru 2012

Suckling: Fascinating aromas of blackberries with cacao and buttery notes. This is a full-bodied red combining well-rounded tannins, lovely acidity and a mouth-watering finish. Yet turns firm and powerful. Drink in 2020. 94/100

Robert Parker
Parker: The inky/purple-colored 2012 offers up scents of white chocolate, creme de cassis, acacia flowers, crushed rocks and forest floor. The tannins are surprisingly soft as the pH is about 3.7, which is slightly higher than the 2010's 3.6. This dense, full-bodied wine is still somewhat monolithic, but it is loaded with concentration and power as well as a long finish. While not totally formed, all the component parts are present. The 2012 will not match the level of the 2009 and 2010, but it should stand out as one of the highlights of 2012.92-94/100 -- RG: 57 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. 53 % Selektion als Grand Vin. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Kaffee, Lakritze, schwarze Oliven, feine Rauchnoten, blumige Töne, dahinter eine trockene, stützende Frucht aufweisend, gibt sich nicht so reserviert wie sonst bei den Primeurproben. Im Gaumen kompakt, fleischig, fordernde Adstringenz, noch leicht mehlig in den Tanninen. 18/20 -- TA: This is not as rich and powerful as the celebrated 2010, nor is it quite as good as the 2011 in my view, but it is still a firm, thick-skinned red with impressive concentration. The wine certainly needs time in the barrel and bottle to come together, but the component parts are all there: black fruits, firmish tannins, subtle oak and a lift of refreshing acidity. A classic Montrose. 95/100