Château Montrose 2003
Review of the Estate
Chateau Montrose began as a plot of heather-covered land that was bequeathed to Thèodore Dumoulin by his father Etienne. The land at Chateau Montrose was originally part of the Calon-Sègur estate that Etienne acquired in 1778. By 1820, Thèodore had constructed a small chateau and vine plantings were already underway. Eventually the area was split from the greater Calon-Sègur estate and was renamed as Montrose-Sègur. 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 Thèodore. 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 Charmolue 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 Charmolue family by brothers Martin & Olivier Bouygues and they remain the current owners. However, in recognition of the important role that the Charmolue family played in the history of Chateau Montrose, the name of the estate's second wine, La Dame de Montrose (named for Yvonne Charmolue, 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
Château Montrose 2003 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 98
The 2003 Montrose was served blind in Bordeaux on two occasions. Picked between 11 to 26 September, it is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It remains one of the outstanding wines of a very black and white vintage. Without knowledge of the vintage, I was hesitant to suggest 2003, because though there is clearly fruit intensity locked up inside this Saint Estephe, it is counterbalanced by the estate's trademark masculinity and austerity. So both on the nose and the palate it reaches this happy medium: pure blackberry, graphite and roasted herbs on the nose, perhaps even more elegant than I have observed on previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied rather than full bodied with sturdy tannins couched in layers of seamless blackberry and cassis fruit, offset by scents of tobacco and graphite. As usual it has immense length and depth, a Montrose that is really just a few chapters into what is sure to be a longer "book" than many other 2003s. It is not a perfect Montrose, but a couple of hairs' breadth away. Tasted February 2017.
Wine Spectator
Point Score: 95
Dark color. Aromas of blackberry, toasted oak, spice and tobacco. Loads of plum. Medium- to full-bodied, with very integrated and refined tannins. Long. This really builds on the palate. This is better than the 2000 and 1990. Only time will tell if it's better than the 1989. Best after 2011. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 15,830 cases made.
James Suckling
Point Score: 97
After the 2009, this is the most exciting Montrose ever made, with intense aromas and flavors of plums, blueberries, spices, tobacco and cedar. It's full-bodied with extremely refined tannins but a dense, delicious palate. Better in 2016, but why wait?