94 Points James Suckling - Very pretty blackcurrants and blueberries with floral undertones, following through to a full body with layers of ripe, polished tannins and a rich, flavorful finish. Needs time to come around and show itself. Try after 2025.
94 Points Wine Enthusiast - The second wine of Château Montrose is a major star in its own right. With dense tannins and concentrated black fruits, it has power and richness. The wine's potential, impressive for a second wine, is very evident in the structure. Drink from 2026.
92 Points Jeb Dunnuck - Looking first at the second wine of this incredible Saint-Estèphe Château, the 2018 La Dame De Montrose is a blend of 52% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all brought up in 30% new French oak. Lots of blue fruits, sappy herbs, tobacco, violets, and graphite notes all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a round, concentrated, textured mouthfeel, and enough tannins to warrant 3-4 years of bottle. A beautiful second wine with lots of Saint-Estèphe character, it will have 15-20 years of longevity.
92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - Composed of 52% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, harvested from September 17 to October 5, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 La Dame de Montrose delivers a profound nose of baked plums, blackberry preserves and raisin cake with touches of dark chocolate, licorice, Chinese five spice and sandalwood. Full-bodied, rich and opulent in the mouth, it fills the palate with ripe, generous fruit, backed by firm, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and spicy.
92 Points Vinous - The 2018 La Dame de Montrose has a sweet black cherry and crème de cassis scented bouquet, scents of violet developing in the glass. It is like an exaggerated version of the previous vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with thick tannin. There is real volume and density to this La Dame de Montrose, the Cabernet Sauvignon expressive and imparting a graphite like note, despite being proportionately less than the Merlot in the blend. This is a very well crafted La Dame de Montrose that is going to give 15 to 20 years of drinking pleasure.
91 Points Decanter – I can see here a comparison with 2009 in terms of generosity and enjoyment. It's a big wine with lots of structure, so during extractions they had to be careful to stay on the cooler side, between 26°C and 28°C, the lowest since 2014. This has traces of heat, although it has clearly been extremely carefully handled and is well balanced. Ripe black fruits, rosemary and black olive notes are countered by tannins that gather at the end of the palate, showing just how much is going on here. Harvested commenced on 17 September and ran into October. 81IPT. 16% press wine.
