La Dame de Montrose 2020

Château Montrose is a force to be reckoned with.  Nicknamed the "Latour of St-Estéphe," these wines are hyper-masculine dynamos with extraordinary concentration.  These wines don’t ask for time in the cellar -- they demand it.  For those who wish to experience the viticultural prowess of Château Montrose but are not willing to wait, La Dame de Montrose is the perfect choice.  This more accessible second wine has the same power as its counterpart but can be enjoyed in its youth.

This esteemed Second Growth was known as a hunting area before it was acquired by the legendary Alexandre Segur in the 18th Century.  Alexandre had a lot of experience in the wine trade.  He was the proud owner of Château Lafite, Château Mouton, and Château Latour.  Château Montrose was part of a much larger property that Alexandre Segur had acquired called Château Calon Segur. He gave the property to his son who sold it to Etienne Durmoulin.

Eventually, Etienne Durmoulin created Château Montrose because the terroir was different from the surrounding area. Château Montrose received its namesake because of the pink heather that grew on the surrounding hillside.  When it bloomed, the hill burst into various shades of shocking pink.  The French word for “pink” is rose, and thus the estate earned its name, “Mont Rose,” – or the pink mountain.   The estate was classified as a Second Growth in 1855 and acquired by the Charmolue family.  Louis Charmolue was born at the esteemed St-Emilion producer, Château Figeac. Château Montrose stayed in possession of the Charmolue family for three generations.  La Dame de Montrose was created in 1983 as an homage to Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran Château Montrose by herself from 1944 to 1960. In the 21st Century, Château Montrose was acquired by the Bouygues family after Thomas Bouygues tasted the exalted vintage of 1989 Château Montrose.  It was his dream to purchase the property, and in 2006 the dream came true.  The Bouygues family hired a viticultural dream team that included Jean Bernard Delmas, the previous executive director from Château Haut-Brion and Herve Berland of Château Mouton Rothschild as gerant or manager. 

Château Montrose primarily uses geothermal energy to run its operations, with additional solar and wind energy as well.  The estate also uses a hail canon that sends out ultrasonic waves to protect the vineyard from damage caused by hailstorms that plague Bordeaux.  The team at Château Montrose has also set the goal to be 100% organically farmed by 2025 -- an impressive feat for this 95-hectare vineyard.   The porous soil contains 60% of Cabernet Sauvignon plantings, 32% Merlot plantings, 6% Cabernet Franc plantings and 2% Petit Verdot plantings.  Le Dame de Montrose is made with the same rigorous approach as the grand vin from grapes grown in the same vineyard.  Merlot is the dominant varietal in this wine, making it more accessible than the grand vin.  There is a distinctively supple, red fruit quality – making it the perfect introduction to one of the most impressive properties in Saint-Estèphe. 

"The 2020 La Dame de Montrose is fabulous. Rich, dense and expansive, the 2020 offers notable vibrancy and a good bit of energy too. Bright acids cut through a core of red/purplish fruit in what is an intense, wonderfully saline Dame. The 2020 finishes with remarkable elegance and sophistication." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (02/24/2023), Ratings: 94

"The 2020 La Dame de Montrose has slightly more alcohol than the Grand Vin. It has a lovely bouquet with predominantly black fruit, cedar and light briny scents, impressive focus and intensity for a Deuxième Vin. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry, quite fresh considering the warmth that summer, fine mineralité with a saline finish. There is a pleasant strictness at the moment, a very capable La Dame that should give 15 years of drinking pleasure." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (02/15/2023), Ratings: 92

"A ton of dark fruits on offer in the form of cassis, bilberry, blackcurrant, brambles of blackberry and raspberry, a ton of spice and sinew. Bitter almond and chocolate notes come in on the finish and add to the feel of a signature Dame de Montrose. Not the exoticism of 2018, this is more of a return to classicism, closer to the 2019 or 2016. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. A yield of around 29hl/ha. " - Jane Anson, Decanter, (05/25/2021), Ratings: 92

''The second wine of Château Montrose, the 2020 La Dame De Montrose is terrific, with a sunny, forward, medium-bodied style as well as lots of ripe red and black fruits, notes of sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and spice, supple tannins, and outstanding length. Open and complex, it’s going to shine for 15 years if well-stored. The blend is 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, checking in at the same alcohol as the Grand Vin, 13.4%.'' - Jeb Dunnuck, 2020 Bordeaux from Bottle, (03/29/2023), Ratings: 92, Drink: 2023-2038