2017 Château Montrose,Tertio de Montrose, Saint-Estèphe

Tertio is the third wine of one of the most exciting and sought-after Bordeaux properties, Château Montrose, made from the younger vines on the estate. The vineyard is one large block, on the very edge of the Gironde estuary, so the third wine benefits from all the same maritime exposure and gravelly terraces of the other wines made at the estate. The 2017 is in a great place, with soft red and black bramble fruit, gentle spice and a lot of briney, black olive and iodine character. There’s some earthy, leathery development too and a good hit of graphite on the nose. On the palate it’s silky and resolved, with appetising minerally acidity on the finish.