50-year old Claret amazes

P

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
What a surprise! Totally black cork (unlike anything I've seen before) that was removed only with the benefit of using the Durand. Wine was double decanted with lots of sediment.

Chateau Montrose St Estephe '70 -- Gorgeous dark red, no edge fade. Solid classic Claret aromas, fully integrated tannins, still nice density with fine balance, wonderful lushness (Merlot?), ample acid and fruit, just exquisite in a style from another era. [E+]

Paired nicely with pan-seared, roasted flat iron steak, air-fried green beans, heirloom tomatoes/basil...then Texas pecan/mesquite/cinnamon/chocolate/Indian spices cookie.

. . . . . Pete
 
If I remember correct ly, this was one of the wines of the vintage in Bordeaux. I had a superb and amazingly young bottle a few years ago.
 
I remember the '70 Montrose in its early years (think I had 3 or 4 bottles.). It seemed, in about '75-'77, like a wine that could teach a young wine enthusiast a lot about what wines are capable of enacting in the human imagination. I'm not a bit surprised, 45 years or so later, that it's still smooth sailing for '70 Montrose. Salut!
 
originally posted by Steve Edmunds:
I remember the '70 Montrose in its early years (think I had 3 or 4 bottles.). It seemed, in about '75-'77, like a wine that could teach a young wine enthusiast a lot about what wines are capable of enacting in the human imagination. I'm not a bit surprised, 45 years or so later, that it's still smooth sailing for '70 Montrose. Salut!
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Steve, great to see you posting again. At a recent get together at the Wolf. we lamented you not being there and hoped to see some more wines from you. I wish I had a 70 Montrose in my cellar to check in on!

Best wishes, Everett
 
The cookies are compliments (for a fee) of Pondicheri, a super popular Indian restaurant just a half a block from where I live and right on my daily strolling route. They are easy to become habit forming. (Unfortunately, most other Indian cuisine preparations don't treat my gastric system well.)

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Steve Edmunds: It seemed, in about '75-'77, like a wine that could teach a young wine enthusiast a lot about what wines are capable of enacting in the human imagination.
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Steve, well said...and still true so many years later. If only winegrowers would follow the example set by the '70 Montrose. As I said upthread -- "exquisite in a style from another era".

. . . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Odd Rydland: If I remember correct ly, this was one of the wines of the vintage in Bordeaux. I had a superb and amazingly young bottle a few years ago.
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Odd, interesting. I somehow had it in my mind that the '70 Montrose was more of an outlier. This sampling certainly supports your remembrance.

. . . . . . Pete
 
In addition to the soiled capsule and black cork, this...

montrose.jpg
. . . . . Pete
 
Yup, the ‘70 Montrose is a classic, and it sounds like you had a good bottle of it, Pete. John Gilman and Salil, among others, have waxed ecstatic about it in recent memory.

Mark Lipton
 
it's one of the truly old-fashioned wines made in the 70s.
I had an insanely good 70 latour in february, and it's the only other 70 I can think of that is likely to match this montrose in longevity.
 
I've had this a couple of time. Always amazing of depth and elegance.
The most amazing is how bad this wine has become lately...
 
originally posted by Brézème:
I've had this a couple of time. Always amazing of depth and elegance.
The most amazing is how bad this wine has become lately...
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they say the same of me. my defense is they don't see my best days.

hope to see you some time.

fb.
 
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