The second wine, the 2006 La Dame de Montrose, is a shrewd choice for wine consumers. A blend of 58% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc, plus a small quantity of Petit Verdot, it is a layered, lush, fleshy effort possessing ripe red and black fruits interwoven with hints of earth and spice box. Plush, round, and sexy, it should be enjoyed during its first 10-12 years of life.

The second wine of Chateau Montrose is at a high level. With its ripe chocolate and sweet black currant flavors, the structure comes from dark tannins, which, as so often in Saint-Estephe, are dry, but not hard, and have delicious fresh berry fruits to envelope them. A wine that is great for aging over 4–5 years.——R.V.(3/1/2009)—— 90