| Review: |
"The ever-increasing quality requirement for Château Montrose and La Dame de Montrose, and the increasingly precise selections, now allow an annual production of a 3rd blend: Le Saint-Estèphe de Montrose. Produced on the exceptional terroir of Château Montrose and vinified by the teams at the property, this wine is the fruit of a classic blend of the great Bordeaux grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 2015 started with a colder winter than in previous years. The start of the season, mild and quite sunny, favoured early bud burst. June and July were dry, marked by water stress leading to a clear slow-down in the development of the vine. The showers in September gave us the measure, once again, of the qualities of our terroir: drainage was perfect, and the Cabernet Sauvignon on the plateau bordering the estuary benefited from a very beneficial drying wind. The grapes were of very good quality, and we further strengthened our ultra-precise plot selection, which sometimes involved several passes through a plot in the search for optimum ripeness. Harvest started from 15 September with an increased team of pickers and continued at a sustained pace until 8 October when picking finished. Appellation: Saint-Estèphe; Owners: Martin et Olivier Bouygues; Terroir : Graves sur sous-sol argileux; Ageing: 12 months; Blend : 8% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 15% Cabernet-Franc, 1% Petit-Verdot; A fine, intense garnet red colour. The floral and discreet nose reveals fresh and delicate notes of violet and raspberry accompanied by toasty and spicy aromas On the palate, this round, full and fleshy wine is a good reflection of its appellation. It has powerful tannins and very good balance." |