Château Montrose 1991
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 1991 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 88
Tasted at the chateau, the 1991 Montrose is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot picked between 30 September and 15 October. It is rightly regarded as one of the rare successes of the beleaguered growing season, alongside Latour. It is clean in color with slight ageing on the rim. The nose is crisp and charming with red berry fruit, balsamic, sage, earthy, almost beetroot like scents that are very appealing. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, fresh and well focused. Whilst the growing season denuded Montrose of its weight and presence, there is harmony here and the foursquare finish will have classic appeal. I wager that this was better a decade ago. Still, after 25 years the 1991 offers a whole lot more than many alumni. Tasted September 2016.
Wine Spectator
Point Score: 85
Soft, supple and pretty. A harmonious wine with berry, cherry and spice notes and an attractive finish. Wine Spectator, Mar 31, 1994
Jancis Robinson
Point Score: 17/20
Bright crimson. Very grown-up minerals sort of nose with lots of development. Lift and lightness on this wine with real confidence and it's ready to drink. Perhaps not an enormous depth of fruit but nice balance and very refreshing. Quite racy. And then sinewy, dry, angular on the finish. There is real lift in this wine but the tannins are a bit dry. 17/20