2000 Montrose

Slow, steady, and holding its course on the way to maturity, the wine is still youthful, with all of its currants, spicebox, tar, blackberry ad black currants held in check. Tannic, but not overly so, the wine is a modern classic that will age for another 40 years.

Still extremely young, feels significantly more closed than the 1996, with a geater emphasis on spicy black pepper and cassis, and still firm tannins. You feel the tannins pressing in on the close of play, whereas in the 1996 the tannins are now like spun silk, fully integrated. I last tasted this wine two years ago, and it is clearly starting to move into the next phase now after a stubborn beginning, coming out of itself and showing the finesse and the elegance of the vintage. The tobacco and crushed mint leaf notes emerge after five minutes of swirling and sniffing, and this has a long future ahead and is packed with appellation typicity. Harvest September 22 to October 7. First year in the new stainless steel vat room with bigger capacity and smaller sized vats covering 50hl, 80hl, 100hl, with just a few 200hl vats for the blend (previously entirely 200hl wooden vats).

This is dense and inky in colour with a nose that has layers of soft tobacco combined with rich cassis fruits and liquorice. On the palate, it just powers on through, with completely melted tannins that are holding up the fruit gently but firmly and a mouthwatering finish of slate and salty caramel. It’s a gorgeous wine with so much to enjoy - full and just starting to stride forward into the next stage of its life as all of the 2000s in the line-up are. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Harvest 22 September to 7 October.