Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

vintage 2019 | Tasted this wine two times blind in three days, there must be bottle differences. Two days ago the wine was stubborn and in disbalance. Now the smell is mesmerizing and the taste is supple with lovely red cherries. — 23 days ago

Willem Booij

9.5

There are bottles I expect to be great, and then there are bottles that still manage to stop me in your tracks.

Château Montus Cuvée Prestige 1998 is firmly in that second category.

This wine has rested quietly in my cellar for nearly three decades, patiently waiting, gathering depth rather than dust. Opening it tonight feels less like uncorking a bottle and more like releasing a memory that has been maturing alongside time itself.

I use to secretly hide this wine among a line up of great clarets and it always stood out!

From the first pour, it’s clear: this wine is fully evolved, yet beautifully alive. The once powerful Tannat backbone has softened into something remarkably refined. The texture is silky, rich, almost velvety, no rough edges left, only harmony.

Dark fruit has given way to layers of leather, cedar, dried plum, cocoa and subtle spice. Everything is integrated, calm, confident. A wine that no longer needs to prove anything.

What amazes me most is not just how good it is, but how complete it feels. This is maturity without fatigue. Depth without heaviness. Power transformed into elegance, love it!

I’ve always known that wines from Château Montus, under the vision of the great Alain Brumont, were built for the long haul. Crafted from old-vine Tannat, grown on the steep, clay-limestone slopes of Madiran, Cuvée Prestige is fermented and aged with patience and intent, often spending extended time in new French oak. It was never meant to be rushed i learned decades ago.

Still, every time I open a mature Montus, I surprise myself all over again.

1998 has reached a point where everything makes sense. It is fully on its drinking window, perhaps right at its sweet spot, and it delivers pure pleasure, calmly and generously.

A reminder that great wine is not about price, prestige, power or extraction, but about time, trust, and restraint.

This bottle didn’t just age well.
It became something greater. 95 WBP — 5 months ago

Will McPherson

9.4

Delicious with beef stew. — a year ago

Lars Miller

9.6

Gorgeous number with ripe peach and pineapple. Full mouth feel with zippy finish. Lush and tropical. Lovely this! — 4 years ago

Alexa Monroy

8.9

Earthy and funky. A heavier wine that’s an experience in itself. — 6 years ago

with Rebecca

Neel Master

9.1

9.5%!! Very clean and easy, bone dry, lemon, fine bubbles. — 7 years ago

Ming L

9.0

The 2019 shows a darker, riper profile than the ‘17 and ‘18 vintages. Blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and plum dominate at this stage, layered with licorice, cocoa, and a touch of earth. The palate feels fuller and more concentrated as well, but still quite balanced. Fine yet grippy tannins. Only 13.5% abv.

Powerful yet polished, it should evolve beautifully over the next decade. — 2 months ago

JKT

9.0

Good French Malbec with more prominent earthy notes — 7 months ago

David Koenen

9.2

Best one from the bunch I bought some 20 years ago. Dark, mysterious red. Full bodied, powerful. Spice box. Coffee grind, dark chocolate and cherries. Dusty, cacao like tannins. Bold and brazen. — 8 months ago

Christine

8.9

Really light easy drinking slightly chilled with some pizza — 9 months ago

Juan C

9.5

Chateau Pineraie France 2015
Cahors Malbec
Earthy, manure, less alcohol, black cherry,
Finish: long
13% alcohol — 4 years ago

Ray S

8.9

Tonight's wine class was all about Malbec. My excitement caused a bit of a mess. Enjoyed this bottle. Seemed "boring" at first but really opened up as the lesson went on. I'm convinced this will go great with our meal tonight. — 6 years ago

Priscilla Pederson

9.5

Semi-sweet, light and refreshing, good table wine — 6 years ago

Ted

9.1

It’s been a minute since I have had this. Wet tobacco. Juicy fruit. Awesome aromatics. — 3 months ago

with Jeni

Irina Georgieva

9.4

Love it, great freshness, long aftertaste, amazing taste! — 5 months ago

edward Simpson

9.1

New one for me a dessert wine caramel and passion fruit, smooth much better than standard dessert wines that no longer innovate — 7 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.2

This was really funky on opening and then blew some of that off to have a brawny wine with good fruit and tannin. Some earth and herbs. Dark fruits. Really liked it. — 8 months ago

Justin

9.4

Great wine. Great value. — 3 years ago

Byron Hewett

9.3

End of the bottle, but still good. — 5 years ago

Andre Boisclair

9.0

Demi-sucre vraiment bien après souper — 6 years ago