Tasted at the Montrose vertical in Stamford, the 1971 Montrose, which was picked between 25 September and 12 October, has always been a wine that performed decently enough and so it proved here. It has a lovely bouquet with dark berries, stewed black tea, dried herbs and pencil box, even a sprig of wild mint with aeration. The palate does not quite match the aromatics. The tannin seem to be drying out a little, rending this 1971 more masculine than I recall, denuded of the weight it once sported on the finish. Still, there is a pleasant salty tang on the finish and well-stored bottles should continue to give modest drinking pleasure over the next few years. Tasted May 2016.