As one of two Second-Growth Bordeauxs in the Saint-Estèphe appelation in the northern Médoc region, Château Montrose is an icon in the wine world known for its full-bodied red wines with superb ageing potential.

Yet, one might be surprised to know that unlike many of the other wineries ranks Second-Growth in 1855, Chateau Montrose was a relatively young estate. And in fact, for the better part of its long history, had been known for being a renowned hunting ground instead! 

This changed when Alexandre de Ségur, owner of prestigious Bordeaux properties like Châteaux Mouton, Lafite, and Latour, gifted the land to his son, Nicolas Alexandre, who later sold it to the father of one Étienne Théodore Dumoulin. Étienne Théodore, upon inheriting the land, who would proceed to re-discover a forgotten patch of heathland. In a move marking the true beginning of Château Montrose's history, Théodore would clear the land, plant the first vines in 1815 and construct the necessary winemaking facilities, fully prepared to set off on his wine-making journey.

The main house overlooking its fields.

A Surprise Bordeaux Second-Growth Designation

Local legend says that when the heather around the left bank bloomed, the hillsides turned pink, or "rose" in French (Mont Rose). Consequently, sailors on the river began referring to the area as Mont Rose.  Eventually, the Dumoulin family adopted this local parlance and named their Left Bank estate Château Montrose.

In a remarkable achievement, Château Montrose was designated a Second Growth in 1855, an accolade that was particularly unprecedented and impressive given the vineyard's young age of only 40 years. Emboldened by this success, Dumoulin continuously expanded his vineyard. By the time of his death in 1861, he bequeathed to his heirs a 95-hectare (234-acre) vineyard, its present size.

The breakdown of the house's fields by grape type.

New Leadership... And New Wind Turbines

Later on in 1866, Mathieu Dollfus, an Alsatian factory owner, purchased Montrose and initiated a significant reorganization. He renovated existing buildings, constructed new ones, modernized the facilities, and implemented innovative viticultural and winemaking techniques. From vineyard to cellar, Dollfus equipped Montrose with the most advanced technology of the era.

Notably, Dollfus was one of few growers that successfully combated the great phylloxera epidemic by installing a wind turbine that pumped water from an underground well, flooding the land and saving the vineyard. This wind turbine, preserved by subsequent owners, remains a symbol of Montrose today.

A modern take on sustainability, the roofs of the estate's buildings have 1,700 solar panels installed.

From 1896 to 2006, one Louis Victor Charmoule followed in the footsteps of Mathieu Dollfus after the latter's death in 1886. Helming the house through a severe economic crisis and two world wars, Château Montrose remained in the Charmolue family for three generations.  

Notably under their ownership, Montrose became one of the first Bordeaux estates to bottle its own wine, as evidenced by early 20th-century sales catalogs offering estate-bottled 1904 Montrose.

Sale of Montrose to the Bouygues Brothers: Château Montrose Today

Martin Bouygues (Left) and Thomas Bouygues (Right).

In May 2006, Jean Louis Charmolue sold the estate in 2006 to Martin Bouygues and Thomas Bouygues, which they own to this day. It is rumoured that Thomas' desire to purchase the estate came he tasted the estate's exalted 1989 vintage. 

As the new owners of Chateau Montrose, the Bouygues broke ground on a 55 million euro renovation project designed to transform Chateau Montrose into as environmentally friendly a compound it could be. Today, the 200-year-old estate relies mainly on the use of solar and wind energy to power its operations.

The 95-hectare vineyard of Chateau Montrose has a hillside terroir of deep gravel with sand and clay soil, up to 90 hectares of which are in constant production. The vineyard is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot with vines that average around 40 years of age.

A 2013 Vintage From a Challenging Year

The house has said that the climatic conditions for the 2013 vintage were generally more challenging than historically expected. 

As the weather would have it, a cold snap in February and March was followed by a wet spring, delayed the start of the growing season. Flowering, which typically begins earlier, didn't commence until June 6th and progressed slowly, lasting until the end of the month and suggesting a potentially late harvest.  Some Merlot vines experienced coulure and millerandage that reduced yields, though the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were unaffected.  Overall, it was anticipated that yields would be below average.  The weather turned favorable in July, with hot and dry conditions lasting until mid-September.  Veraison was slightly delayed but consistent, particularly for the Cabernet Sauvignon, the primary grape variety at Montrose.

Rain returned in the latter half of September and persisted throughout the harvest period.  With the weather declining, the harvest team began pre-harvest leaf removal on September 16th across all vineyard plots to improve air circulation around the grapes.  

Harvesting began with the Merlot grapes on September 26th, and the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest followed on October 7th.  The vineyard's well-drained terroir, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignon parcels on the plateau, facilitated grape drying and prevented botrytis.  The harvest concluded late on October 16th.

This vintage was thus comprised of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

Château Montrose 2013 – Tasting Notes

Nose: This leans into a more earthy, tart fruit driven profile that is more about precision than concentration. It starts off with brambles, plums, and fresh raspberries, carrying a slight tartness that gives the fruit a lifted quality. Touch of strawberry brightness peeks through. Given time in the glass, the wine reveals more of its terroir-driven character—dried herbs, sarsaparilla, and a faint whisper of underbrush emerge to reinforce the earthier side of the spectrum.

It has a clean, almost mineral freshness to the nose, with light mossy and wet stone notes appearing as it continues to open up.

Palate: Light to medium-bodied. This is unmistakably a product of the cool and challenging 2013 vintage that emphasises restraint and classicism. The palate leans into elegance and finesse rather than that masculine opulence you might often find in this region, and yet retains that tannic structure expressed in an impressive fine-grained fashion that is very soft, very well-integrated, very controlled.

Fruit components are present but subdued—there’s a core of blackberries and a mix of indistinct red fruits that never dominate but they integrate smoothly with more austere and savory elements: pencil lead, tobacco leaf and a delicate mineral undertone. The acidity is very fresh and very well-calibrated, giving me this lovely sense of vibrancy in a Bordeaux that doesn’t make the wine feel sharp or lean. 

Finish: Softer, with a chalky texture and tannins that that taper off in an understated grip. Some graphite and crushed stone. 

My Thoughts

A really memorable 2013 vintage expression from Château Montrose. 

Unlike the more muscular and age-defying vintages of Montrose, this one embraces an interesting lightness with tannins so fine and elegant and fresh fruits are lifted by well-judged acidity and minerality, underscoring precision and balance rather than power with structure and terroir expression taking center stage.

A contemplative and somewhat austere Left Bank experience for all those who appreciate the old-school Bordeaux aesthetic.

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons