2005 Saint-Estèphe, Château Montrose
About Producer
Montrose 95ha vineyards lie in one block between the château and the Gironde estuary, on gravel, large stones and ferrous sands over clay and limestone subsoil. Bearing witness to the exceptional quality of its terroir, Montrose was classified as a Second Growth just a few decades after its creation in 1815 by Étienne-Théodore Dumoulin who cleared and drained at enormous expense the patch of moorland sold to his family by Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, aka the Prince of Vines. The name Montrose comes from the pinkish heather that once grew on these slopes. The property was sold in 1896 to the Charmolüe family who managed it over a century before it was acquired by the Bouygues brothers in 2006. The new owners immediately rolled out a massive renovation and modernisation programme to transform Montrose into an eco-friendly, organically farmed estate. The recent vintages produced here have definitely positioned Montrose at the very top of the Left Bank elite, not far behind the First Growths.
Varietals
Blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
About Appellation
With 1,229ha of vines, and roughly equidistant from the city of Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave, the northernmost tip of the Médoc peninsula, Saint-Estèphe is the second largest AOC communal appellation of the Médoc. Though the first vines dated back to Roman times, the expansion of vineyards started in the 14th century with the creation of estates that still exist today. The soil is a mix of gravel, clay and sand, with a slightly higher proportion of clay than elsewhere in the Médoc. Hence Saint-Estèphe has a unique ability to hold water reserves. The best vineyard sites are the gravelly mounds facing the Gironde estuary where cabernet sauvignon is the majority varietal. In recent years, there has been a shift by some estates toward merlot which performs better on clay-rich soils. Saint-Estèphe is home to 5 grands crus classés in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.
Tasting Notes
Captivating nose of black fruits, cigar box, dark chocolate, baking spices, graphite and forest floor, dense mouthfeel with cashmere-like texture, ample volume and excellent focus, multilayered flavours of black cherry, cassis, plum, cocoa, gingerbread, star anise and mint supported by a firm mineral backbone, well-embedded acidity and resolved tannins leading onto a long, persistent finish. This was the last harvest for the Charmolüe family and its élevage was supervised by Jean-Bernard Delmas, the ex-manager of Haut-Brion who came out of retirement to head the Montrose team pursuant to the Bouygues’ acquisition. Though somewhat old school and lacking the endearing charm of the 2003, this is a magnificent wine with alluring poise, outstanding depth and captivating complexity. It’s lush and concentrated, with a seductive freshness that glides pleasantly throughout the palate. Cloaking its exceptional power in composed elegance and ethereal grace, it’s a remarkable harbinger of the ensuing vintages that have since positioned Montrose at the very top of the Left Bank elite, not far behind the First Growths. (01/2024)