Source: jamessuckling.com. Issue Date: Friday, February 2, 2018 (JS-94)

A very refined red with berries, chocolate and walnuts. Full body and a round, juicy texture. Spicy and salty. Delicious already. Needs two or three years to come together. Second wine of Château Montrose.

Source: Winemaker

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 flavours reflect another expression of the terroir in a distinctive style which is less elaborately complex than that of the First Wine.

Consistently reliable and reaching maturity sooner, the wine was created in 1983 in tribute to Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran Château Montrose single-handedly from 1944 to 1960. Production varies from one year to another but accounts on average for 40 à 45% of the total production of the Montrose vineyard. Aged for 12 months in 30% new french oak barrels.

Main characteristics of the vintage

2015 started with a colder winter than in previous years. The start of the season, mild and quite sunny, favoured early bud burst. Quick and uniform flowering took place at the start of June thanks to the exceptional climatic conditions. June and July were dry, marked by water stress leading to a clear slow-down in the development of the vine. Véraison took place early and in a very uniform way between 21 July and 10 August. 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. Harvest started from 15 September with an increased team of pickers and continued at a sustained pace until 8 October when picking finished. 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. In the cellar, the reception line allowed for precision work: 3 sorting tables for bunches preceded double sorting of the berries, optical then by hand. The vinification, respectful of the identity of our terroir, was tailor-made in tanks of sizes adapted to each of the 55 batches that make up our blending palette. To these were added 7 batches resulting from the precision work carried out at the press. At the time of blending, the richness of the batches allowed us to be extremely precise in the selection for the grand vin, the most drastic in 15 years. The first tastings put this vintage among the great years of Château Montrose.

Period of harvest

September 15th – October 8th

Blend

Merlot : 55%

Cabernet Sauvignon : 41%

Petit Verdot : 4%

Tasting notes

An intense deep red colour, the second selection of Château Montrose is marked by the terroir: a powerful and expressive nose with complex aromas of black fruit, fine oak, toasty and smoky. The attack on the palate is rich and full. The mid palate, round and completely in harmony, reveals supple and silky tannins. Good length, with aromas of very ripe fruit on the finish. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth while offering good potential for ageing.