Montrose 2017

The wine in this vintage

While the April 2017 frost struck many parts of Bordeaux hard, Montrose's vineyards, protected by the moderating influence of the Gironde, were largely spared. The rest of the season, warm and regular, produced elegant, well-balanced wines. Montrose 2017 combines structure and finesse, with cassis, black cherry, cedar, graphite, violet and spice on a compact palate with fine tannins and a long, fresh finish. Robert Parker gave it 98 points, one of the Médoc's best results of the vintage. Already enjoyable, it has many years of development ahead. It shows its best at cellar temperature, alongside roast game, veal or hard cheeses.

The producer · Château Montrose

Overlooking the Gironde estuary in the commune of Saint-Estèphe, Château Montrose was born in the early nineteenth century on a heath-covered hill whose pinkish hue gave it its name. Within a few decades it had earned a reputation that led to its classification as a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé in 1855. After more than a century with the Charmolüe family, it has belonged since 2006 to Martin and Olivier Bouygues, who drove an ambitious renovation of the cellars and one of the most advanced environmental programmes in the Médoc. The vineyard, a single block close to the river, lies on deep gravel and clay that provide a moderated microclimate and steady water supply even in the driest summers. Cabernet Sauvignon leads, alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The Montrose style is that of a great structured wine: deep, tannic in youth and extraordinarily long-lived, opening with age into memorable elegance and complexity. That is why it is often called the great classic of Saint-Estèphe.

Critics' scores

• 98 Robert Parker
• 97 James Suckling
• 96 Decanter
• 95 Antonio Galloni
• 94 Wine Spectator
• 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Château Montrose

Region

Bordeaux

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2017

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

96/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0290117