Why now is the perfect time to seek out Château Montrose

This iconic property in Saint-Estèphe is celebrating more than two centuries of making history in the Médoc, and its bottles continue to go under the hammer with its latest vintage (2024) seeing a 23% price drop en primeur compared with the 2023.

The first vines were planted at what would become Château Montrose just 40 years before it was listed as a Médoc 2ème Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. This Saint-Estèphe château started life as a plot of land belonging to Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur, of Château Calon-Ségur fame, who sold it to Etienne-Théodore Dumoulin in the 18th century. Left covered in heather for many years, it was Dumoulin’s son who decided to clear the land and plant vines in 1815. At the time of his death 46 years later, the estate had grown to be 95 hectares in size.

Despite passing through numerous hands, the renown of the château stayed strong, and it remained in the Charmolüe family from 1896 to 2006. At this point, Martin and Olivier Bouygues bought the château, having been long-term lovers of it after their father introduced them to the estate’s wine years earlier.

Today, Martin’s wife Melissa is president alongside their daughter Charlotte, who has followed in her father’s entrepreneurial footsteps, launching Dix Hectares, a cosmetics company producing skincare inspired by the natural cycle of the vineyard from plants grown on the estate. Pierre Graffeuille manages the château along with the other wineries owned by the brothers.

Nothing left to chance

The vines – which are Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (32%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (2%) – grow on gravel soil mixed with sand on the surface and a clay subsoil, which creates a natural water reserve for the vines.

Nothing is left to chance at Montrose. The Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in the warmest plots, which are perfect for this late-ripening variety. The Merlot grapes bring a delicate nature to the wine, along with body, silky tannins and fruity notes, while Cabernet Franc imparts its elegant aromas, freshness and complexity. And, finally, Petit Verdot adds a touch of spice.

Each plot of vines has its own characteristics and is cared for based on its individual needs. The plots, which vary in size going from a couple of square metres to 2ha, are carefully chosen to complement the grape varieties grown there.

The incredible mix of terroirs and varieties produces immensely complex wines that charm critics and wine enthusiasts alike. The 2009 and 2022 vintages were both awarded 100/100 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (an accolade to celebrate) and the 1989 vintage was given 99/100 by James Suckling.

auction update – in association with iDealwine

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Vintage prices

While the 2022 vintage has only just been released on to the market (in July), the French online retailer iDealwine estimates the 2009 vintage to be worth €263. Over the past 12 months, the vintage has seen bottles sell for €250 to €288 on the company’s website.

When it comes to the 1989 vintage, we can see that the current iDealwine price estimate of €346 is 1,547.29% higher than its €21 en primeur price. Bottles from this vintage have already gone under the hammer six times this year on iDealwine, with the lowest hammer price being €316 and the highest €438.

The château produces wine that withstands the test of time, and the proof is in the pudding – or rather the auction results. The estate’s highest-priced wine of 2024 was a 1945, which was auctioned for €886 after 12 people placed bids on it.

But that’s not the oldest Château Montrose wine that went under the hammer last year. This title goes to a bottle from 1904, which was bought for €275 in October.

Alongside the grand vin, Château Montrose releases a second vin called La Dame de Montrose, which also performs well at auction. A two-bottle lot came in 12th place in iDealwine’s list of the highest-priced Bordeaux second wines sold in 2024. Selling for €81 a bottle, it has also appreciated in value since its release, rising 639.82% above its en primeur price of €11.

En primeur

As usual, the estate has released the latest vintage of its grand vin and second wine during this year’s en primeur campaign. Billed as the way to buy these wines at their lowest price points, the 2024 Château Montrose 2ème Grand Cru Classé was released at €117.60 earlier this year. To put this in perspective, this is a 42% drop compared to the en primeur price of the 2022 vintage (which was €201.60 for reference) and 23% lower than the 2023 price.

It should be said that these price drops are a correction of the en primeur market, rather than a reflection of the wine’s quality. After the glorious 2022, which was sold at a higher price in an overexerted market, the price for the 2023 vintage and then the 2024 are testament to the market calming and readjusting against the backdrop of tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump just as the en primeur campaign got under way.