Review of the Estate

Chateau Montrose began as a plot of heather-covered land that was bequeathed to Théodore Dumoulin by his father Etienne. The land at Chateau Montrose was originally part of the Calon-Ségur estate that Etienne acquired in 1778. By 1820, Théodore had constructed a small chateau and vine plantings were already underway. Eventually the area was split from the greater Calon-Ségur estate and was renamed as Montrose-Ségur. By 1855 it had expanded to 50 hectares and was known simply as Chateau Montrose. At this point it was also classified as a deuxième cru (Second Growth).

Eventually Chateau Montrose was sold to M. Mathieu Dolfus, shortly after the passing of Théodore. Under Dolfus, the cellars at Chateau Montrose were greatly expanded and he invested heavily in estate developments and infrastructure. This included the creation of a programme that provided benefits for vineyard workers and the construction of a small railway to transport wine from Chateau Montrose down to the riverside.

Soon after Dolfus passed away, in 1896 Chateau Montrose came into the ownership of the Charmolüe family, who safely shepherded the chateau through the phylloxera epidemic and two World Wars, including the recovery process after the estate suffered bomb damage in WWII.

In 2006 Chateau Montrose was purchased from the Charmolüe family by brothers Martin & Olivier Bouygues and they remain the current owners. However, in recognition of the important role that the Charmolüe family played in the history of Chateau Montrose, the name of the estate’s second wine, La Dame de Montrose (named for Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran the estate from 1944 to 1960) remains unchanged.

Vineyard

Surface area: 169.2 acres

Grape Varieties: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot 

Average age of vines: 43 years

Density of plantation: 9,000 vines per hectare

Average yields: 42 hectoliters per hectare

Average cases produced: 16,500 per year

Plateau of maturity: 3 - 25 years post-1970, 15 - 25 years pre-1970

Robert Parker Montrose 1991 Review

Score: 88 Points

St.-Estephe enjoyed more success in 1991 than any other Bordeaux appellation, largely because the damaging frost caused little damage to the first generation fruit in the northern Medoc. Consequently Montrose’s production was close to normal and the wine is one of the stars of the vintage. That being said, it is not close to the wondrous quality of the 1989 and 1990, but it is superior to this property’s 1988. It reveals a dark, saturated color (one of the most opaque wines of the vintage), and a tight but promising nose of sweet, jammy, black-raspberry fruit, minerals, and subtle new oak. With a medium to full-bodied personality boasting considerable tannin, admirable ripeness, and layers of fruit, this excellent wine should reach full maturity in 7-8 years and last for nearly two decades.

Score: 88