2019 Chateau Montrose Saint-Estephe Grand Cru Classe 750 ml

Château Montrose’s striking power and longevity are primarily the product of its extraordinary terroir, which many consider the finest in Bordeaux’s northern Saint-Estèphe appellation. The estate sits on a rise of deep gravel above the Gironde estuary—Cabernet Sauvignon’s favorite soil—with some plots boasting gravel depths of several feet.

The hard-draining gravel forces the vines to dig deep and the grapes to concentrate, while the estate’s proximity to the broad Gironde moderates temperature and buffers the vineyard against heat and frost. It is about as close to a formula for age-worthy Left Bank Bordeaux as the region offers.

Montrose has belonged since 2006 to the Bouygues family, the construction and telecommunications dynasty behind one of France’s largest companies. They undertook a top-to-bottom renovation, completed for the 2013 harvest, with four goals in mind: to give Montrose the finest winemaking facilities, to produce and conserve energy, to reduce the estate’s carbon footprint, and to preserve its classic 18th-century character.

That environmental commitment runs deep. The estate draws on geothermal power and solar arrays, and even deploys an ultrasonic hail cannon to protect the vineyard—all in service of getting fruit to the cellar in the best possible shape.

The 2019 growing season played right into the estate’s hands. A warm, dry summer, running above the long-term average with well below the usual rainfall, was rescued from drought stress by timely rains at the end of July. Wide swings between hot days and cool nights through the harvest locked in freshness and perfume.

On the Left Bank, 2019 is a structured, classic year—closer in spirit to the brilliant 2016 than to the plush 2018. It’s a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated Montrose, with Merlot filling out the mid-palate and a measure of Cabernet Franc alongside, built on the firm, fine-grained tannins that are the house signature.

Montrose’s quality and prestige stand alongside Bordeaux’s five First Growths, but because the château fell just outside the top tier in the 1855 classification, we can enjoy it at a price that still amazes us. For anyone who wants a top-class, age-worthy Bordeaux from a benchmark site, this is a wine to buy by the case and forget in the cellar for years.