Site and terroir
Château Montrose is located in Saint-Estèphe in the Bordeaux region in France, opposite the mouth of the Gironde. The nearby Gironde moderates very hot summers and frosty springs. The 95-hectare vineyard stretches out as a continuous area around the château, the winery and the outbuildings.
The deep gravel beds consist at the surface of gravel mixed with sand and sit on clay-rich subsoils. The gravel provides natural drainage towards the estuary, while the clay holds water reserves deep down.
Vines and vineyard work
The vine plots are farmed separately, which differ in, among other things, soil, subsoil, vine age, yield, grape variety and rootstock. Planting consists of 63 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 29 % Merlot, 6 % Cabernet Franc and 2 % Petit Verdot. Since 2006, defoliation and yield reduction have supported ripening of the grapes.
After a plot-by-plot tasting and selection, the grapes are hand-harvested into open crates.
Cellar and maturation
On receiving the grapes, they are hand-selected, de-stemmed, sorted visually, and then checked again by hand. The estate has 92 temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks of different sizes, enabling vinification by plot and by lots. The mash fermentation lasts at most 25 days; after racking, the lots remain separate until the later assembly.
During maturation, the wines are moved by gravity about every three months. Fining is carried out in cask with fresh egg white.
Wines
Château Montrose is a red wine made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with a structured, tannin-rich character, ageing potential and a long-lasting development. The Grand Vin matures for 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 60 % are in new barrels.
La Dame de Montrose is the estate’s second wine. Merlot usually dominates; the wine is smooth and shaped by a pronounced red fruit character. It matures for around twelve months in French oak barrels, of which 30 % are in new barrels. Tertio de Montrose is the third cuvée from lots of younger vines and from wines fermented on the lees. The Bordeaux cuvée is intended for enjoyment in the first years and matures for twelve months, of which 15 % are in new barrels.
History
In 1815, Etienne Théodore Dumoulin planted the first vines and built the original buildings for wine-making. Mathieu Dollfus acquired Château Montrose in 1866, reorganised the property, modernised the facilities and introduced new methods in viticulture and vinification. From 1896 to 2006, the estate was run by the Charmolüe family.
Martin and Olivier Bouygues acquired Château Montrose in 2006. From 2007 to 2013, a programme of reconstruction and renovation followed. Château Montrose is classified in the 1855 classification as a Deuxième Cru.
