Château Montrose 2006
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 2006 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 87
Tasted at the chateau, the 2006 Montrose has mostly been very inconsistent and frankly disappointing for such a consistent estate. Apart from one bottle, I have been unimpressed and there could well be a reason, given that it was a "dropped catch" between the change in ownership. It is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, picked between 18 September and 3 October. It was the first vintage where green harvesting was conducted all over the estate and yields were 41 hectoliters per hectare. Frankly, this has long been a disappointing Montrose for me and this bottle did nothing to alter that view. The nose just lacks fruite and energy, not as green as I have encountered with other bottles, but just missing personality and intensity. The palate is medium-bodied and chewy in the mouth. Where is the precision and the tension? It just feels static and for want of a better word, rather dull on the finish. Sorry, this 2006 has never done it for me. Tasted September 2016.
Wine Spectator
Point Score: 89-91
Starts off silky and refined. Medium- to full-bodied, with a fine finish, but needs a little more on the midpalate. Attractive spice and currant character. Score range: 89-91
James Suckling
Point Score: 92
Montrose is so typically Saint-Estephe in 2006, with dried spices such cardamom and cloves as well as delicate currants. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a dense center palate. It needs another three or four years of bottle age to soften. SAQ Website/Find the wine