Sunday, 21 April 2013

One on One - 1997 Château Montrose & 1997 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon

Beforehand, this one on one rumble should have been an easy California victory since our omniscient lawyer have rated the Dunn 92+p and the Montrose 87p.
But, as so many times before, the proof was in the bottle...

1997 Château Montrose
A fine, mature, rather elegant nose with notes of just ripe black currants, cranberries, saddle leather, graphite and sugared coffee. Not a blockbuster, not extracted to the max, just a mature, laidback, graceful Bordeaux. Very good.
The taste is cool, fine and on the light side with notes of red and black currants, sandalwood, tobacco, saddle leather and a touch animal. The tannins are very finely sandpapered. It finish dry and fine. As Broadbent would have said - a nice luncheon claret. Elegant and fine.
88p   (tasted 2013/04)


1997 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose is on the same level of maturity as the Montrose but the fruit is darker and warmer. Notes of black currant jam, scorched earth, leather, tobacco and some eucalyptus. A fine warmth. Not as deep and focused as I would have thought, based on the vintage and previous Dunn bottles. But very good all the same.
The taste is tight, warm and a bit seedy with lots of ripe black currants and notes of licorice, mint, black cherries, leather and a touch of oak. A long, warm finish. A good ripeness to the fruit. Could evolve some more with a few more years in the cellar but I´m not sure it will get any better than today.
88p   (tasted 2013/04)

2 comments:

  1. Oväntat, jag drack Montrose 97 för runt 5 år sedan och tyckte den var var trött o träig redan då. Jag gillar annars 97 som årgång.

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    1. Det är det som är charmen med vin - man vet aldrig...:-) Köpte dom som primör och dom har legat på samma ställa och svalt sedan dess. Den förra för 2 år sedan var likadan. Har en kvar.

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