La Dame de Montrose 2023

61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc La Dame de Montrose is produced each year from dedicated parcels of land, with a classic blend dominated by Merlot. The bouquet is intense, with fruity, mineral and spicy notes. There's a good symbiosis of red and black berry notes, complemented by a hint of menthol. On the palate, the wine is linear, silky and harmonious. The tannins provide strength and elegance. An authentic, powerful and long-lasting Dame de Montrose that is becoming one of the great wines of St-Estèphe. 2027-2048

The blackberries and blackcurrants show through beautifully, together with very integrated tannins. Dense and textured. Transparent. Graphite coming through. Second wine of Montrose. 61% merlot, 32% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc.

Both the aroma and the palate of the 2023 La Dame de Montrose display characteristics akin to a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is why I was genuinely surprised to see 61% Merlot in its composition. Violets lead the way, followed closely by the crisp scents of sour dates and cherries, with licorice and pepper permeating thereafter. Its finely compact body and lofty acidity rival the First-label, making it outstanding whether aged or enjoyed young.

Another strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's polished, pure and layered, with sweet tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. It's a blend of 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. This large estate overlooking the Gironde in Saint-Estèphe produces some of Bordeaux's greatest and longest-lived wines, and the last 15 or so years have seen it benefit from sustained and intelligently directed investment. There's a brand-new winery and cellars, of course, but there's a lot of work going on in the vineyards too. When Olivier and Martin Bouygues acquired Château Montrose from the Charmolüe family in 2006, the estate included fully 17 hectares of pre-clonal vines dating back to the early 20th century, and a massal selection program has since identified 80 viable individuals, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, for use when replanting (the same efforts are currently being lavished on Merlot, drawing on a block behind the château acquired from Phélan-Ségur). Now, cover crops are being trialed, and the soils are being cultivated more superficially to avoid disrupting the microbiome. Winemaking is rather classical, with maturation in some 60% new oak. In 2023, Montrose was largely spared by mildew, receiving less rain than many other estates in June, and harvest rolled out between September 5 and 28. As in 2022, the grand vin this year derives exclusively from the Terrace 4 gravels in front of the estate itself, Montrose's historic core terroir. Readers looking for more information about this de-facto first growth are directed to my feature published in the December 2023 Week 3 issue of The Wine Advocate.