95pts James Suckling
Blackcurrants with crushed stone and slate. Lead pencil. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and precision. Fantastic length and focus. One of the best Dames I have had. Organically grown grapes. 48% merlot, 46% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot and cabernet franc.
92pts Decanter
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.
92pts Vinous
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 . The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry, quite fresh considering the warmth that summer, fine 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.
92pts Wine Spectator
A very fresh and driven style, with a racy core of damson plum, red cherry and dried lilac laced with hints of black tea and iron, which nicely extend the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
Winemaker Notes
Made to the same rigorous standards as the First Wine, from grapes grown in the same vineyard, La Dame de Montrose is the estate’s second label. Supple and silky Merlot generally predominates in the varietal mix. Its very pronounced red fruit aromas and flavors reflect another expression of the terroir in a distinctive style which is less elaborately complex than that of the First Wine.
History
Established as a Second Growth in the 1855 classification, Chateau Montrose enjoys an exceptional geographical situation in Saint-Estèphe, facing the Gironde estuary. Its 95-hectare (235-acre) vineyard thus benefits from the moderating influence of the vast water mass nearby during very hot summers and harsh winters. The vineyard is in a single sweep, a rare and priceless advantage in the region. The soil, consisting of deep gravel over clay, favours natural drainage and ensures that the vines benefit from a slow and regular water supply from the water reserves in the subsoil.
An extensive renovation program with very strict environmental objectives has been carried out at the estate since it was acquired by Martin and Olivier Bouygues in 2006, reflecting the new owners’ determination to perpetuate the quality of the wine and make Chateau Montrose a model of skilled winemaking and sustainable development.
Under the direction of Hervé Berland since 2012, the estate has 68 employees in the vineyard and winery, all of whom share the same philosophy: respect for the terroir and a constant quest for excellence. That philosophy is manifested in meticulous vineyard practices, very precise parcel selection and use of only the best grapes to make the premium wine, Chateau Montrose.
The other qualities are used to make the second wine, La Dame de Montrose, and the third wine, Le Saint-Estèphe de Montrose.
