Before there were vines on the slope that now marks the vineyards of Montrose, there was heather. And at the right time of year, the hillside turned pink with heather flowers. Hence, Montrose – ‘mont rose’, ‘the pink slope’. Vines did not arrive here till the early 19th century, which makes Montrose one of the youngest classed growths. Yet it is also one of the best. It is often thought of as the first growth of St-Estephe, and frequently vies for the title of wine of the vintage.

The terroir at Montrose runs down from the plateau to the riverside. The proximity to the Gironde makes this a very well-ventilated site, and as a result of the constant, drying wind the vineyards are subject to much lower incidence of mildew and vine disease than many comparable vineyards. The vineyards straddle two of the Medoc’s premium gravel platforms, Terrace 3 and Terrace 4. These perform quite differently. On Terrace 3 the roots can dig deeper in search of water, but on the compact, iron-rich soils of Terrace 4 the roots reach a point where there can get no further and rely on capillary action to bring up water. Going forward, Montrose will be made only from the Terrace 4 heartland of the vineyard around the chateau, where Cabernet flourishes. (NT 12/05/25)