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History
Chateau Montrose is located on a gravel rise in the heart of the Saint-Estephe appellation, with gentle slopes ideally exposed to the sun. The nearby Gironde estuary provides a mild microclimate the impressive, 95-hectare estate is remarkably homogeneous, with the entire vineyard in a single block divided into plots by broad tracks. The winery buildings and estate-workers’ cottages form a veritable village, whose focal point is the lovely architecture of the chateau itself.Chateau Montrose, which has been in the Charmolue family for over a century, is a model operation, producing high quality wines that specialists often compare with Chateau Latour (only five kilometres away).In 1778, Etienne-Theodore Dumoulin purchased a plot of uncultivated land overlooking the Gironde estuary in Saint-Estephe from Alexandre de Segur. The “lande de l’Escargeon”, as it was then known, was covered with bushes, reeds, and heather, whose rose-pink flowers are said to have given the chateau its name.Dumoulin’s son, also Etienne-Thedore, who understood the advantage of planting vines on the gravelly soil in this area, was responsible for creating a new winemaking operation on the Montrose site. The winery buildings came first, followed, in 1825, by the chateau itself, with its simple yet harmonious blend of classical and Empire architecture. From modest beginnings, the vineyard had grown to 35 hectares by 1832. The wine’s quality was very quickly recognised and Etienne-Theodore Dumoulin was rewarded for his efforts in 1855, when Chateau Montrose was ranked among the second great growths of the Medoc. The estate remained in the Dumoulin family until its acquisition by Mathieu Dollfus in 1866. By that time, additional land purchases and exchanges with neighbouring landowners had given the estate its present configuration. During his twenty years at Montrose the new owner made considerable changes on the estate, giving the property its present appearance. The buildings were extended and new barrel-ageing cellars were added. Vineyard management and winemaking methods were modernized. Mr. Dollfus also implemented a forward-looking social police, offering the staff working conditions that were quite unusual at that time. Hen Mathieu Dollfus died in 1887, Chateau Montrose was purchased by Jean Hostens, who already owned Cos d’Estournel and Pomys in Saint-Estephe. In 1897, he sold the estate to his son-in-law, Louis Charmolue, who put his family coat of arms on the label, where it still is today. In the following decades, the Charmolue family had to face all the problems that affected the Bordeaux vineyard : slumps in sales, wars, depression, etc. By their courage and tenacity, successive owners of Montrose have managed to maintain the quality of Montrose wines at the level of excellence. It still has today. Jean-louis Charmolue has been running Chateau Montrose since 1960. Jean-Louis provided the much needed enthusiasm and investment to lift Montrose from this miasma, and indeed his efforts seems to have paid off. New equipment in the chai in 1975, and again in 1985, a new barrel cellar and the introduction of a second wine in 1983 were just part of the program of renovation and refurbishment. He sowed the seeds for Montrose's renaissance, which reached a crescendo at the turn of the century with some highly lauded wines, not least the almost mythical and certainly most expensive Montrose ever, the 2003. The estate and the wines were enjoying a grand reputation when, in 2006, it looked set to change hands once more. Montrose went on the market in early 2006, the likely buyers Martin Bouygues, and his brother Olivier.
Nowadays’ owner: Martin & Olivier Bouygues
Technique Information
Location: Chateau Montrose is found in the heart of Saint-Estèphe, sloping down from the primary ridge to the majestic Gironde.
Appellation: Appellation Saint-Estephe Controlee
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Calon-Segur(3rd Growth of Saint-Estephe in 1855)
Acreage: 95-hectare
Soil: Pyrenean gravel mixed with black sand, that gives way to iron-rich soil 60centimetres below the surface. The subsoil consists of a layer of clay and marl.
Grape Varieties: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Average age of vines: 35 years
Cultivation density: 9,000 vins/ha
Viticulture: Guyot double Pruning, Manual Harvesting
Winemaking: Fermentation take place in temperature-controlled. Stainless -steel vats. Maceration: 25 to 30days. Aged for approximately 19 months (depending on the character of the vintage). racking with a bellows-pump every three months and fining with egg-white.
Aging: Chateau Montrose: 70% new for 18months
La Dame de Montrose: 20% new for 12 months
Yield: 32hl/ha
Brand: Chateau Montrose(First Label)(A.O.C Saint-Estephe)
La Dame de Montrose(Second Label)(A.O.C Saint-Estephe)
Annually production: Chateau Montrose (First Label): 19000 cases
La Dame de Montrose (Second Label): 9000 cases
Character:
Like all the Saint-Estephe great growths Chateau Montrose wines are deep-coloured and powerful, with good backbone. They have a complex bouquet and great elegance, with a fine, tannic background. They withstand the test of time extraordinarily well.
Best vintages: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2003
Awards: 2nd Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Saint Estephe.
Website: www.chateau-montrose.com
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: 75-85 %，15℃
Serving Temperature: 17℃-19℃
Optimal Drinking and Aging Potential: 10-30 years
Food Match:
Serve with delicious dishes such as grilled meats, game, red meat and cheese.
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