2017 Château Montrose La Dame de Montrose Saint-Estèphe

Tasting notes

The colour is on a deep red. The nose, very expressive, is slightly woody, dominated by black fruits aromas (blueberry, blackberry and black cherry). It also reveals subtle notes of cedar and tobacco leaves. Tension and length in mouth are combined with a good balance. Tannins are precise and silky. The aromas purity brings finesse and elegance. A wine whose personality should assert itself in the coming years.

Vintage Notes

The year started with a mild and dry winter, marked by 2 weeks of cold at the end of January. The temperatures remained mild in the spring, allowing uniform bud burst as from 29 March. An early vintage seemed likely, but the growth cycle slowed down at the end of April under the influence of cooler temperatures. The Gironde estuary then played its essential role of thermal regulator during the 3 consecutive days of frost, which spared our vineyard. The summer-like conditions in May and June favoured uniform flowering. (Full flowering on 29 May).
The vine calmly continued its development, without any particular pressure from disease, an undeniable advantage in the management of our 45 hectares under organic viticulture.The rainy spell at the end of June led to the start of veraison on 21 July. After a dry and temperate summer, the September rains accelerated the ripening process. Full ripeness of the 4 grape varieties was therefore achieved in a very short time. Harvest took place under ideal conditions. The team of around a hundred pickers worked within the plots, in a very smoothly run operation.

The climate of 2017 was particularly favourable for our Cabernet Sauvignons. This year they make up 76% of the Grand Vin blend, giving this vintage a very classic profile.

Viticulture

Harvest
From September 12th - September 29th

Vinification

This precision work was reflected in the cellar, recently equipped with more than 90 small-capacity vats. Extraction was gentle and maceration slightly shorter than last year. For our blends, we have a rich aromatic palette of 82 batches of classic free-run wines, fully expressing their terroir, along with 9 batches of press wine giving us the possibility to adjust the tannic density of our wines with extreme precision.