La Dame de Montrose 2025 (750ML)

93-94 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com: "A brightness and freshness, with red currants and oyster shells. Medium body, with fine tannins and a crunchy, crisp finish. A blend of 82% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc." 04/26

90-92 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2025 La Dame de Montrose is matured in 15% new oak, lower than before and including some foudres and amphorae, and driven by the 82% Merlot. The nose offers red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, iodine and violet aromas coming forth with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, slightly chalky, fine tension and a surfeit of freshness towards the finish. This will be wholly irresistible once in bottle and it will require minimal ageing to be enjoyed." 05/26

93 Points, Georgina Hindle, Decanter: "Incredible colour in the glass, bright pink-purple rim. Wild blue and black bramble berries with a salty tangy aspect on the nose – fresh and fragrant. Cool too. Smooth and shiny, this is sleek, really lively and upfront with such a juicy, fresh core. Quite lightly presented – definitely fine, delicate and refined with a soft edge of liquorice and clove. Really quite a hands-off style but there’s power surging through without the muscle. Quite impressive. 3.5pH. 76 IPT. 8% press. Ageing 12 months: 15% new oak, 20% foudre, 5% amphoras and the rest one-year-old barrels. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend." 03/26

93-95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com: "A Merlot-heavy blend of 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, mostly from clay and limestone soils and resting in 30% new oak with 20% foudre, the 2025 La Dame De Montrose is medium-bodied, round, and supple, with a beautiful sense of elegance. Ripe framboise, juicy currants, violets, and sappy flower nuances all shine on the nose, and it's almost impossible to resist today, with remarkable purity and gorgeous tannins." 05/26

91-93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "The 2025 La Dame de Montrose is an elegant, gracious wine. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, cinnamon and pomegranate lend tons of aromatic presence. The fruit is so bright, focused and forward. This is an especially elegant, refined Dame. The blend is Merlot-driven. Élevage is 75% in French oak barrels (15% new), 20% in foudre and 5% in amphora." 04/26

91-93 Points, William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berries, fruitcake and spices, the 2025 La Dame de Montrose is medium- to full-bodied, deep and dense, with a lively and layered core of fruit, supple tannins and a bright, sapid finish. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, incorporating maturation in different vessels (20% foudre and 5% amphora) and fewer rackings to maintain a more reductive profile that is better suited to the Merlot-dominant blend." 04/26

92 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux: "Mouthwatering finish, plenty of slate character, pumice stone, rose bud, iris flowers, ripe but not overripe, clearly this is juicy with some bright fruits, but creamy underneath - a world away from the kind of exuberant 2022 vintage, so take your pick on which style you prefer. August 29 began harvesting the reds for the first time (in 2022 it was September 2), then continued until September 20 so almost one month harvest. Terrace 3 and young plants saw reduced canopy height to manage water stress, but on Terrace 4 (the main estate wine) they were able to work as normal. 30hl/ha yield. 15% new oak, 5% amphora. Lower new oak than usual so slightly shorter ageing is expected. Looking forward to tasting the new Terrace 3 wine which now sits in between La Dame and the main wine, not released En Primeur." 04/26