Cabernet Sauvignon origins are from the Gironde in southwest France, but is now planted across the world in climates that accommodate this late ripening grape. It is the dominant grape in wines made in Bordeaux’s Médoc and Graves regions. This small, thick-skinned grape, produces darkly colored wine, high in tannin and relatively high in acidity with hallmark aromas of blackcurrant and can stylistically change from austere in its youth to lush depending on the region, and winemaking style.
Cabernet Franc
Ca-ber-NAY FRANK
Cabernet Franc is grown all over the world, but the best expressions are generally found in France, specifically in the Loire, South West, and Bordeaux as a key part of many blends. Medium bodied and more aromatic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc’s aromas can have an herbaceous tinge depending on the ripeness level.
Merlot
Mer-LO
It would be easier to detail where Merlot is not grown than vice-versa, as it is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Depending on the terroir, the style can vary quite a bit. Generally, Merlot is fleshy and more fruit driven and with less aggressive tannins than its oft more austere blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, which also makes it more accessible in its youth. The quality and character can vary from crowd pleasing sweet plummy fruit to extraordinary complex velvety texture of a great right bank Bordeaux.
Château Montrose is one of fourteen Second Growths as established in the 1855 classification. However, its terroir in the northernmost commune of Saint-Estèphe and the unique microclimate of the vineyards are what make Montrose special.
The vineyards are a mix of well-draining gravel and sand with a clay subsoil that retains water to help naturally irrigate vines. The vineyard abuts the Gironde estuary, which helps to temper extremes by cooling the vineyards during extreme heat and minimizing frost in the cooler months.
The vineyards are 60% cabernet, 32% merlot, 6% cabernet franc, and 2% petit verdot. They yield structured, age-worthy wines that, with some patience, showcase a depth of complex dark fruit with an underlying minerality that speaks to the terroir.
