1990 Chateau Montrose La Dame de Montrose (Stained Labels)

"Given the monumental proportions of the 1990 Montrose, it is not surprising that the property's "second" wine is also outstanding. When I tasted this gem, I jokingly asked the proprietors, the Charmolue family, if their selection process had not been too severe! This densely colored (dark plum and purple) wine is not as forbiddingly backward as its bigger sibling, as the nose offers scents of earth, cassis, licorice, and spices. Full-bodied, super-rich, but less tannic than the 1990 Montrose, La Dame ranks with the 1982 Forts de Latour and 1989 Bahans-Haut-Brion as one of the best second wines I have tasted." - Wine Advocate