The history of Montrose, written in two centuries by three families of owners, is depositary of their spirit, marked by their quest of excellence and legendary vintages. Pioneers in the Médoc, visionary builders and wise managers, all these families knew how to work and valorise this unique terroir. The estate owes them the foundation on which Montrose builds its image today and its unique place in the world of exceptional wines.
The result of rigorous selection at each stage of production, in both the vineyard and the winery, this great, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon wine is typical of the Saint-Estèphe appellation. Structured and tannic but with all the elegance and refinement of a Grand Cru Classé, with time it develops a delicate and complex bouquet.
Region
Blessed with undisputed natural assets combined with advantages nurtured over the centuries, Château Montrose has one of the region’s most privileged winegrowing terroirs.
The 95-hectare (234-acres) vineyard surrounds the château, the winery and the outbuildings in a single continuous sweep, an exceptional and historically very rare feature. As well as making the vineyard easier to work, this unity means that it can be treated as a single entity, providing ideal conditions for efficient organisation and for monitoring the condition of each parcel.
The Montrose terroir corresponds to what geologists call “elite cores”. Over millions of years, a complex process of geological layering resulted in the creation of outcrops, ideal for making fine wines and ensuring natural drainage towards the estuary.
The soil on these terraces consists of gravel mixed with sand on the surface over a clay-rich subsoil in which natural reserves form at depth, providing the vines with the water they need.
At Château Montrose, the largest parcel is two hectares (five acres), the smallest only a few hundred square metres, but each has its own personality, its own particular soil or subsoil, and vines whose age, yield, variety or rootstock are different from those of its neighbour. In the end it is the wine itself which, in its own way, brings this amazing patchwork together, since it is both the result and the synthesis of each micro-terroir.
Winemaking
The wines have considerable ageing potential and are exceptionally long-lived. Certain vintages (1921, 1929, 1982, 1990, 2009) are considered legendary.
Matured for 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels, the premium wine accounts from 35 to 40% of the total production of Château Montrose.
Rating
Jane Anson 100 pts
This is up there with the best of the tastings, just nods past the 2009. Less generous perhaps but here you see the beauty and precision of the construction, and the ability to just knock the fruit and tannins out of the park - I love both, but this has the edge in terms of juice, and the Left Bank classicism of bilberry, cassis, olive, mint leaf, graphite, scraping texture and vertical lift on the finish. Jean-Bernard Delmas director.
Vinous 100 pts
The 2010 Montrose is insanely beautiful. A vivid, eternal wine, the 2010 dazzles right out of the gate with its explosive energy. Soaring floral and mineral notes are immediately captivating on the bouquet. All that carries through to the palate, where the wine is dense and expansive. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled. This really benefits from aeration. What a wine!
