A serious wall of blueberry and blackberry compote, and a ton of savoury Cabernet sinew and freshness. This is a great Montrose, inky, broad-shouldered and structured. It needs time to aerate and open in the glass, then you see the precision, the heft, the chiselling of the fruits with a ton of graphite, cigar box and campfire smoke - huge persistency. This will need a long time and will reward patience. One of the few where a 1986, 2016 and 2010 comparison makes sense. A yield around 30hl/ha. 1% Petit Verdot, 3.86pH, IPT 80. 45% of the overall production. 98 points

Deep colour. Dark, intense and very pure but with an energy that makes it vibrant. Big tannic frame but tannins really finely honed. Long and persistent with plenty of drive on the finish. Long ageing potential. 18+ points

Closed, tight, mineral, blackcurrant, subtle, and persistent; full, fresh, fairly (rather than notably) concentrated, typically fine in its tannin; richly ripe, elegant, contained wine, crisp, sweet, long, and linear, juicy and restrained at once, with excellent length. A lovely, accessible, complete classicism, a crisply blackcurrant beauty, which will most likely be a pleasure in the glass before its ’16, ’18, and ’19 vintages. Drink 2028–45+. 92–94 points