Château Montrose Saint-Estèphe 2025 - 2nd Grand Cru Classé (Primeurs)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The estate belonged to the Charmolüe family for over a century (the family now resides in Provence, at Château Romanin). Purchased in 2005 by Martin and Olivier Bouygues, the estate has continued on its path of excellence. The new owners and their teams have taken care not to alter the style, but to refine viticulture and winemaking to adapt them to the ecological and cultural demands of our time. The second wine, Dame-de-Montrose, produced in significant quantities, has improved in consistency and expression of the terroir. The latest vintages, among the finest in the Médoc, more than hold their own against the First Growths.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

A true timeless classic in the making, Montrose 2025 reveals itself in the glass with notes of black berries, black truffle, glowing embers, and violet, gaining depth and nuance as it breathes. Full-bodied, dense, and elegantly powerful, it boasts a complex, multidimensional structure, with a fruit core of prodigious concentration, tannins of exceptional quality, and a long, resonant finish. The 2025 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, sourced exclusively from the estate’s historic heart, located on the fourth terrace directly opposite the château. With a pH of 3.65 and an alcohol content of 13.4%, it remains classically balanced despite its impressive power and intensity. Readers will have a fascinating time discerning the nuances of style and quality between the 2025, 2023, and 2022 vintages over the coming decades!

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Entrepreneurs Martin and Olivier Bouygues have owned this renowned classified growth since 2006. They have masterfully cultivated one of the Médoc’s finest terroirs, which has repeatedly distinguished itself in the past by producing wines that can match—or even surpass—the quality of the first growths. In hot, dry years, such as 2003, 2009, 2010, or even 2011, Montrose offers exceptional distinction. Hervé Berland, who now manages the estate, is taking it to a level of definition and precision never before seen here. It is approaching a third star.

Vinous

About the wine:

Montrose 2025 comes exclusively from the Terrace IV vineyard, as has been the case since the 2023 vintage. Harvesting began on August 29 and did not conclude until September 20, representing a fairly long period, with 16 days of harvesting between those two dates. This vintage is aged 60% in new oak barrels. It has a very intense nose, with a powerful note of graphite that permeates the black fruit, which is beautifully defined yet resolutely classic in style. Wow. The purity of the fruit is exceptional. The palate is medium-bodied, with supple, finely chiseled tannins and exquisite black fruit imbued with minerality. So much freshness and liveliness, a soft yet persistent mouthfeel, and a very precise, refined finish: this is a Montrose that will go down in history. Wow (once again). 2032–2060

Yves Beck

About the wine:

While the Dame de Montrose impresses with its delicate and well-defined character, Montrose immediately establishes itself as the leader. It exudes a dazzling serenity with a wealth of nuances to discover, all while staying true to the style the estate so aptly embodies: elegance! Even though there is brilliance, it is measured; even though there is complexity, freshness puts things into perspective by positioning itself as a fundamental part of the aromatic profile. The attack mirrors the bouquet: intensity is good, subtlety is better! The wine adopts a slender profile on the attack to sculpt a silhouette that gains depth across the palate. The tannins, for their part, reveal themselves very late, precisely where they are best able to demonstrate their supremacy—not through sheer power, but through their ability to deliver that power with precision. They can, of course, count on the essential support of acidity. However, it must be admitted that the acidity tiptoes in, so intimidated is it by such vigor. Yet this power is of the noblest kind, best able to assert itself in a whisper, so evident is its reach. The acidity thus helps define the contours and, to some extent, frame the assertive tannins. The underlying theme, however, remains unwavering; elegance reigns supreme. Only great wines are capable of such feats.

Falstaff