The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times.

Gorgeous rich colour here, a lovely wine full of pleasure. Chocolate, mocha, cappuccino, lots of toasted oak, great quality, with concentrated black fruits along with slate, crushed stone, smoked earth - measured, confident, delicious. I have tasted this a few times this year, and it has consistently been punching at the very top of its game. A no-brainer to recommend. 12% press wine, 47hl/ha yield, 60% new oak.

Tons of personality right off the first nose, giving the same tingle of expectation that you get with the 2016. Black chocolate, damson, plump blueberry, mint leaf, pure Cabernet expression. This is dripping with juice, and is sleek and fresh, a brilliant Montrose with exceptional fruit quality, where you feel the wall of tannins but they are brushed velvet rather than tight and forbidding. A strong recommendation, that you could just about enjoy now with a long carafe, but that will close up tight in a few years, and then need patience for another decade. Harvest September 19 to October 8.

The 2019 Montrose was bottled in July 2021, and though I did not taste it en primeur, I did sample it just prior to bottling and then after, in September 2021. It was picked from September 19 to October 8, with a similar percentage of Merlot to the 2009 (30% compared to around 25% due to the ripeness). At 14.4% alcohol, it has lower alcohol than the 2018 (14.8%). The Merlot guides the nose, which is a little more flamboyant than usual for Montrose, and very pure, offering small black cherries, black currant, wild mint and just a hint of camphor. The palate is medium-bodied, spicy and vibrant, with a silky-smooth texture and a touch of peppercorn on the entry. There is wonderful tension throughout this Montrose, and gentle grip on the finish. Will this vintage be more approachable than the 2018?