98pts Wine Independent

A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2000 Montrose is medium to deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. It charges out with ready-to-go notes of juicy plums, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries, opening out to a perfume of candied violets, camphor, rose oil, new leather, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and very fresh with soft, velvety tannins and bags of vibrant black and blue fruits, finishing long and perfumed. Gorgeous!

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2000 Montrose is a straight-up gorgeous bottle of wine that while, still young, is offering up tons of pleasure. Classic Saint Estèphe notes of blackcurrants, damp earth, tobacco leaf, cedar, and hints of truffle all emerge from this dense, concentrated, powerful red that has the classic 2000 structure and richness. With sweet tannins, full body, impeccable balance, and a great, great finish, it’s at the early stages of its drink window and has another 3+ decades of longevity ahead of it.

96pts James Suckling

Just starting to open, it shows beautiful spices and dark fruit on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with ultra-fine, integrated tannins and an extremely complex, refined finish. Drink or hold.

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

Currants, smoky tobacco, leather, graphite, and meaty nuances all emerge from the 2000 Château Montrose, a big, full-bodied Saint-Estèphe based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. On the palate, it has the broad, expansive mid-palate that is classic Montrose, with plenty of density, structure, and tannins, and outstanding length.

94pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Tasted at the vertical in London, the question was whether the 2000 Montrose would be paradigmatic of a vintage whereby the wines have remained sullen and broody in their youth. On this occasion, to my surprise I found it more open than the 2005 (which admittedly is not saying that it's open for business!). It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot picked from 22 September to 7 October. I afforded it a couple of hours in the glass and it responded with plenty of pure ripe blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of cold slate and even charcoal emerging with time. The palate is not as complex as the aforementioned 2005, yet there is wonderful backbone and focus; towards the finish there is a sense of suppleness and refinement that might make this absolutely delicious in 5-7 years' time. Perhaps the 2000 has been usurped by subsequent releases in 2005, 2009 and 2010, but do not be surprised if it evolves into a regal Montrose. Tasted June 2016.

93pts Wine Spectator

This has a relatively polished feel, with rounded tannins, though they are substantial enough to give the core of tobacco, black currant paste and warmed fig flavors a nice loamy tug through the finish. Rather refined and with noticeably more depth than AOC colleagues in this vintage, with a very alluring hint of fresh bay at the very end.—2000 Bordeaux blind retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023.

Winemaker Notes

Considered one of the top Saint Estephe, Montrose is prized for its classic Claret style, big fruit and full, well-structured taste.
Dense and nearly dark in color. The nose is complex. Still shut, it offers aromas of tobacco, black fruits, and morello cherries. Long and full on the palate with aromas of morello cherries, blackcurrant, liquorice Gorgeous wine, full, and potent. Melted tannins with a beautiful velvety texture. A powerful and lingering finish.

Blend: 63% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot