Château Montlandrie 2021

Textured, nicely direct and well defined on the palate. This has instant appeal with bright, shiny and concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit wrapped in a sleek frame, high acidity and freshness on the finish. It’s not weighty; it’s gentle yet carries tons of flavour. A solid effort where they achieved ripeness without overdoing extraction or oak. Very charming and appealing, still with bite, with touches of spice and oak giving it good ageing potential.

Plenty of clarity and freshness in this one, with raspberries, light toast, chocolate and dried flowers. Medium body. Salty. Crunchy and lightly chewy, with limestone firmness. 75% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.

75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample. Plenty of chalky lift, the acidity present but matched by fruit and tannins. Wild terroir note just about tamed. Lively finish. Will need a little patience and to be matched with food. (JL)

The 2021 Montlandrie initially shows just a touch of reduction on the nose, but it gradually opens in the glass to reveal that mélange of red and black fruit, hints of licorice and pain d’épices, quite complex though not intense. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannins. This has a fine line of acidity, nicely poised, very fresh and saline toward the finish with a dash of black pepper on the aftertaste. This has meliorated a little during its élevage, and it should drink well for 12 to 15 years.

Cherries and flowers open the nose. The medium-bodied palate is even better with its soft, silky, fresh rush of sweet red fruits, crushed stone, and licorice. If you are not yet familiar with Montlandrie, you should be, as this is one of the best deals in all of Bordeaux! The wine blends 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2024-2034.

One of the standouts of the Durantou family releases is the 2021 Château Montlandrie, which is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the limestone soils in the Castillon region, just east of Saint-Emilion. Ripe black cherries, bay leaf, spice, spring flowers, and a kiss of classic limestone chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied on the palate, with a layered, balanced, nicely concentrated style that will evolve for at least 8-10 years. This soft, supple, already delicious 2021 is well worth your time and money.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% vol. alcohol, production 43,000 bottles) Floral, silky, fresh, powerful bouquet, raspberries, wild strawberries, mint, slate, delicate herbs. Finely structured, dense, fresh palate with powerful, refined fruit, diverse, fresh aromatics, fine tannins, elegant structure, long, delicate finish.

(75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% vol. alcohol, production 43,000 bottles) Floral, silky, fresh, powerful bouquet, raspberries, wild strawberries, mint, slate, delicate herbal notes. Fine-boned, dense, fresh palate with powerful, refined fruit, diverse, fresh aromatics, fine tannins, elegant structure, long, delicate finish. 17/20 2028 - 2045

Cloves and liquorice right from the opening, with savoury blueberry and redcurrant fruit, and Cabernet Sauvignon tomato leaf and pencil lead making an impact. These wines really prove how good the Durantou stable is, standout 2021s for me, playing with finesse and drinkability. Harvest from September 30 to October 8. 50% new oak.

A blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Montlandrie is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs swirling to coax out notes of fresh black cherries, black raspberries, and red plums, leading to touches of charcoal, lilacs, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant, perfumed, and refreshing with soft, rounded tannins and a long ferrous finish. Nice!

A hint of reduction on the nose before opening up to ripe fruit, blueberry and damson notes. Generous and silky on the palate, with a delectable chocolaty finish.

Freshness is certainly one of the keynotes of the vintage, in addition to the tremendous work carried out, first and foremost, in the vineyard. The freshness of the Cabernets is clearly perceptible through hints of mint and garrigue. On the palate, the wine is both fleshy and velvety. There is tension, velvety yet powerful tannins, and plenty of energy! A wine that deserves a little time to open up and shows very fine promise.

Dark, intense, purple color. Very aromatic nose with pure, ripe fruit that reveals depth when the glass is swirled. Precise on the attack, with tension mid-palate and refined aromatics and tannins, this very well-crafted wine stretches out on the finish, delicate and impossible to spit. Good length. Blend: 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol: 14%. Production: 43,000 bottles.