The history of Château Montrose, with its successes, its difficulties and its evolution, could take a whole volume. I shall try and encapsulate it in 1000 words!

Most of Saint-Estèphe, in the 18th century, was a vast parish dominating the estuary of the river Gironde, and wasa sort of wild heath covered in heather, thorns,stunted trees and brush. There was a patch of land known as “Lande de l’escargeon” over which the inhabitants of the property of Font–Petite held the ancestral rights of forestry and pasturage.

It belonged to Etienne Theodore Dumoulin – just! It had been adjudged to him by a Bordeaux Parliamentary Decree, of 6th March 1778, to the detriment of Nicolas Marie Alexandre de Ségur, (son and heir of the great Alexandre de Ségur, known as the Prince of Vines) against whom Dumoulin had bravely brought his case. Nicolas Marie Alexandre was living way above his immense means in Paris, and running up the most colossal debts in spite of the family wealth.

To read more about the Segur family, who at one point in time owned Lafite and Latour, please read BORDEAUX – NEW YORK, issue 7, Vinexpo. Having won his case, Dumoulin took possession, 3 days later, on 9th March 1778. Dumoulin's son, also Etienne Theodore, after his fathers death, in 1808, became aware that the soil and the exposition of his land was ideal for making great wine, which had become the rage in the Médoc at that time. He started to plant in 1815.

In 1820, or thereabouts, he built himself a Chateau, although it would be more accurate to call it a large country house. As did most of the landowners in the Médoc, he lived chiefly in Bordeaux. The Château was completed in 1825.
A survey map of Saint-Estèphe, in 1825, showsthe “lieu–dit” or “hamlet” as being alreadycalled “Montrose”. It was Dumoulin, father or son, who had given it this name. Why We shall never know for sure. It is thought that it was originally “mont rose” or “rose mountain” because it looked so like a rose garden, from the boats passing down the river, when the heath was in bloom. I prefer the possibility that Dumoulin knew and liked some ancient connection with the Duke of Montrose, dating from an earlier association with Scotland, possibly against the “perfidious Albions”!

Little matter, he rebaptised it a little later as “Montrose–Segur”, perhaps to help his wine to profit from an association with the outstanding wines of the Ségur family.There were some 15 acres of vines. By 1832, the property encompassed 98 acres, with no less than 76 under vine. This was huge for the time.
Passionate about his wine making, he was beginning to achieve a fine reputation and a world-wide acceptance. On 18th April 1855, his efforts were crowned with glory, beyond all his expectations, when he was classified Second Growth.

The estate continued to grow, no doubt encouraged by this success, and by 1866, was 237 acres.Etienne died, in 1861, and left the vast Domaine to his adopted children and heirs – Jean Camille Eugene Dumoulin, Madame la Baronne Travaot and Jean Baptiste Ernest Dumoulin, Camille Eugene’s son, who had also been adopted.These heirs were not so attached to Montrose and, on 3rd June 1866, they sold it to Monsieur Matthieu Dolffus for 1,105,000 Francs. It became Montrose–Dolffus.

Dolffus spent a lot of money on it. He improved,modernised, built and reorganised and is mainly responsible for everything that exists there today. However, in spite of all his passion, his energy and his investment, the awful phylloxera struck and took its toll. He spent an absolute fortune fighting it, and, although damage was appalling, he did at least manage to save the vineyards although they were reduced to 160 acres.

At that time all the wine was sent to Bordeaux by boat and Montrose was splendidly placed. Dolffus built railway lines down to the river, and a landing and boarding stage. This practice in fact continued until after the First World War. Between 1866 and 1887, Dolffus totally transformed Montrose, and in 1887, he established the “Société Viticole de Chateau Montrose, of which he became Managing Director.

He died, on 12th December 1887, and, on 18th may 1889, his heir, Charles Dolffus–Galline, was empowered by the two–year old company to sell the property. He did so the following June. It was bought by Jean Justin and Jean Jules Hostein for 1,500,000 Francs. By a family division that followed, it became entirely the property of Jean Jules, but he did not keep it for long. He soon sold it, on 9th December 1896, for 800,000 Francs, to a relative of his – Monsieur Louis Victor Charmolue.
His niece, and heir, had married Louis Victor. Thus we arrive at the family of the present owner. Since Hostein was a relative by marriage I could, I suppose, have started the chapter on the present owner’s family with the sale to the Hosteins. However I prefer blood relationships, so I have chosen this point in the story for the change-over.

 

The history of the Chamolue family is one of those histories that genealogists drool over. It could fill volumes. Suffice it to say that it is one of the oldest noble families in France. It probably comes from the Compiègne district. The family records are almost complete right back to the 13th century, starting with a Renaud Charmolue in 1246, an Antoine in 1248 and an Albe in 1293. Did they originate in Compiègne or did they come from another part of France before then, or from abroad Prior to the 13th century, records are almost untraceable or non existent. 

We shall never know.Jean–Louis, most uncharacteristically and un–nobly, suggests that the name “Charmolue” might come from a fishmonger dubbed “chair de morue” or “cod flesh”, and subsequently corrupted. It is only a passing thought! For us here, writing about Montrose, our interest in the family starts when a branch came to settle in Libourne from Compiègne. This was Hippolyte (1792–1876), a military man, who came with his legion and stayed afterwards. His younger brother, Victor (1796–1873), came to join him a little later.

They also had a brother who died young. Victor married Jeanne Lemoyne–Laplagne and they had two children, Anne Emilie (1825 1878), and Charles (1833–1904). Jeanne brought to Victor the ancient property of “Gaillard” as part of her dowry.Charles’ exact date of birth was 26th April 1833. He made a brilliant marriage and was united with Augustine Eugenie Laveine who came from Paris.
Her father had bought Chateau Figeac, in 1842, which was by far the largest and grandest estate in the Saint Emilion district. Charles lived until 1904.His son, Louis Victor, was therefore born at Figeac, on 14th August 1860, but lived principally at a nearby property name La Capelle. He became a military man, but then made an even more fabulous marriage than his father, by marring Marie Therese Hostein, in 1894.

Her family were from Condissas, Bégadan. She brought the most fabulous dowry with her, particularly as she was the sole heir and inheritor of both her father and her uncle. Among the properties that she inherited were Pommies (today belonging to Monsieur François Arnaud) and Chateau Cos d’Estournel. Also Domaine de Trousses and Condissas in Bégadan, Chateau Romefort in Blaignan and the Island of Pumadelle in the Gironde Estuary. This made Louis Victor one of the biggest landowners in the Médoc.

Apart from the properties that they already owned, with the money from her dowry he bought Chateau Montrose, for 800,000 Francs, from his wife’s uncle. In return he allowed his sister, Caroline, to keep all the other Charmolue possessions. Marie Therese and Louis Victor had two children, Albe and Henriette. The couple lived at Pomys (Pommies), a huge Domaine with a 60 room Chateau.
Louis Victor was mayor of Saint Estephe from 1900–1925. When times became difficult, during the 1914–1918 war, he sold Pomys and Cos D’Estournel and moved to live at Montrose, a much more modest estate. He died, on 3rd May 1925, and his wife died, at Montrose, in 1931. He is remembered for having grafted his vines to overcome phylloxera. He was passionate about his wine estates and, by 1900, Montrose was making the enormous amount of up to 300 Tonneaux of wine. (One Tonneau = 900 litres).

Caroline, Louis’ sister, born 1862, as we have seen, kept all the Charmolue properties and possessions. She married Elie Decazes, born at Figeac and son of Laure Laveine (the family that owned Figeac – see above). She sold la Capelle, in 1916, and went to live at Gaillard. Gaillard today still belongs to Jean Louis’ sister. She died childless, in 1926, and Albe Charmolue inherited. Caroline and Louis Victor also briefly had a sister, Anne Ernestine, who died aged two.

On the death of Louis Victor, his only son, Albe, took over. He had been born, at Pomys, on 9th December 1898. Albe had had a young, brief but glorious military career and knew the horror of the infamous Verdun. Sadly, he had also been gassed, which damaged his future health. He returned to marry Yvonne Laure Jeanne Decaze, his second cousin, in 1925. The marriage was celebrated just one month after his father’s death.

Great vintages helped him tremendously at first – 1926, 28, 29. But then came the Crash and the Great Depression. A lot of the buildings were destroyed by fire in 1933. Then came the Second World War. Albe tried to go to war again but was soon demobbed. The French Army installed anti–aircraft guns on the property and commandeered most of the Chateau.
When the Germans took over, they surprisingly left the Chateau to the family, but predictably took over the anti–aircraft guns. Because of this Montrose was an attractive and important target for allied bombers. Fortunately the Chateau was not hit – but almost, several times! Throughout this awful period, Albe courageously continued to make fine wine, but had to reduce the vineyard area and the production.

It was down to 50 Tonneaux in 1942 and 25 in 1943. Albe and Yvonne had a son, Louis, in 1926. Then, in 1929, a daughter Francoise. In 1931, Albe’s mother died, and in 1933, tragically, Louis died, aged just 8 years. In 1935, more happily, Jean–Louis was born.

During the war years, with the Germans occupying a large part of the estate, Jean–Louis was boarded-out in Pauillac and his sister in Bordeaux.On 19th January 1944, Albe died suddenly and prematurely. His health had been poorly ever since the gas in the First World War. Jean–Louis was only
9 years old. For 16 years Yvonne brought up the young children and struggled to look after the property through difficult times. Montrose was now producing anything from 80–130 Tonneaux, but wine–making was still far from profitable.

Jean–Louis went to school, in Bordeaux, after the war, and then to the Ecole Supérieur d’Agriculture, in Toulouse, until 1956. Then came military service and he started in Toulouse before being sent to Germany and then, unpleasantly, to Algeria for a year. In 1960 he returned home. His mother welcomed him with open arms, having struggled alone for so very long. He had inherited Montrose, together with his sister, and his mother now said “here it is, get on with it, I’ve had enough!”

And so he did. In 1961, he married Anne Marie Biais, and the two of them look the picture of health and happiness today, 45 years later, it spite of many severe trials and tribulations.
Jean–Louis’ wife, Anne Marie, had had a daughter by a previous marriage. The girl married the Earl of Jersey in 1975. With Jean–Louis, Anne Marie had two daughters, Caroline and Laure. Laure died young and tragically, in 1998, and Caroline, now 40, is married and divorced and today lives at Lussac Saint Emilion with her two young daughters. There is hope stirring timorously in the hearts and breasts of Jean Louis and Anne Marie that she might be starting to take an interest in the estate. This would give them the greatest pleasure imaginable and add a whole new meaning to their lives.

 

OWNERS. WHO’S WHO
Jean–Louis Charmolue is 100% owner, manager and proprietor, aided and abetted by his wife Anne Marie. As he inherited jointly with his sister, he bought out her share in January 1977. His technical manager is Philippe Laguarigue, who also looks after the commercial side.
His cellar master is Laurent Savovitch–Vuk and his vineyard manager Bruno Sauquet. They are all young. Jean–Louis has trained them all himself and is proud of an excellent and close–knit team. His consultant oenologist is Pascal Ribereau- Gayon.

 

VINEYARD
There are 65 Hectares (coming up to 70) at Montrose, in one comprehensive large piece of land. 65% is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% with Merlot and 10% with Cabernet Franc. Somewhere there is just a touch of Petit Verdot. The vines are planted at the very high density of 9,000 vines per Hectare and there are a lot of old ones, making an average age of 40 years – very senior! “Complantation” –“planting new vines among old ones” is done regularly every year and the vines are all pruned and trained on the Double Guyot system.

Some of the Merlot has grass between the rows and this is also done on the soils, which have a greater admixture of clay. Jean–Louis believes in being extremely attentive to nature and to its needs. He is not “Bio” but very firmly “lutte raisonnée” or “minimum intervention”. He uses “sexual confusion” in the vineyard to confuse the beasties and stop them breeding and says, ”happily all the neighbours use it too, so there is no problem coming from outside – but it is an expensive process!”

He finds that he no longer needs to treat for red spider and no longer uses pesticides at all. He treats AS REQUIRED and WHEN REQUIRED for Oidium, Mildew and Botrytis and says “quite remarkably, I often find that one treatment is enough, but I will do more if I find that it is truly essential”.
He does all the usual operations in the vineyard such as deleafing and green pruning etc. He is passionate about all this, and not the tiniest item escapes his constant attention during his daily peregrinations through the vineyards.Most of his vineyards enjoy an ideal north–south exposure.

 

SOIL
The vineyard is situated on a vast gravelly rise with gentle slopes and excellent exposure to the sun. The wide Gironde estuary has a tempering influence, and a regularising one, on the microclimate. However it is the soil that counts above all. It consists of Pyrenean gravel, of the quaternary period, often down to 2–3 metres, with black sand and ferruginous stone, starting at a depth of anything from 60cms and above.
The soil throughout the vineyard is relatively homogeneous. The subsoil is largely clay–marl. The siliceous gravel retains the heat, and at the same time, the deep root structure provides splendid life–supporting moisture in very dry periods – such as in 2003! These various factors give an ideal overall balance with the environment.

 

WINE MAKING
All is hand picked here. They use a large team of Spaniards, who have been coming every year, since 1973. They are almost part of the property and he knows all the family details and histories of each of them. There are births and deaths, but still the families come. They work splendidly!

 

Careful parcellar selection is the order of the day, but here also picking is done grape variety by grape variety. All grapes, healthy ones, go into “cagettes” and are sorted in draconian fashion, on two parallel sorting tables of five metres length each, on arrival, in trailers, at the cellars.
Naturally the sorting tables are vibrating. Jean–Louis says that he was one of the very first to install vibrating and perforated tables, in 2000, and never ceases to be astonished at the amount of tiny stalks, bits and pieces and muck that is collected beneath them each and every day. From the tables they go through the destalking machine and then into the fermentation vats.

The vats are stainless steel, thermo–regulated and of 200 Hectolitres capacity.He does not cold soak and he allows the temperature during fermentation to rise to 30°C.Jean–Louis uses only indigenous yeasts. No enzymes. He did use some cultured yeasts in the 1990s, but no longer feels that he has any need of them.
Both operations, pumping–over as well as rack and return, are done entirely as and when they are judged to be required or useful. There are no set rules and regulations. The day’s operations are decided, together with his team, early each morning.Vat–time is some 23 days, depending entirely upon tasting.

 

Pascal Ribereau-Gayon comes in every Thursday morning.An early pre-selection is made so that the vats can be blended or not blended. Depending upon the decision made, the vats are then run off into other vats for the malo–lactic fermentation.
Normally two vats per day are run–off. Jean–Louis has done the malo–lactic fermentation in barrel in the past, when it was entirely empirical. He has had bad experiences. In 1969, the malo–lactic fermentation refused to start. Then, one year later, when the barrels were firmly bung three–quarters, it did start and tried to explode the barrels.The wine now goes into barrel after the malo–lactic fermentation.

 

Several coopers are used and they medium toast his oak. He uses approximately 50% new oak each year more in 2004.Racking is done, classically, every three months.

Fining is done with fresh whites of egg. Starting this year, Jean–Louis is giving the wine an ultra light clean–up filtration before bottling, for which he uses a visiting mobile team. They bottle and cork only. Montrose does its own labelling and capsuling later.Since 2003, all bottles are lazer engraved giving total transparency and traceability.

 

PRODUCTION
This is, on average, 250,000 bottles per year (300,000 in 2004 and 200,000 in 2003). In addition there are 100,000 bottles of the Second Wine of Montrose – “Dame de Montrose”.

2003 MONTROSE
Colour: deep, rich, purple colour. Intense and profound.
Nose: Young, vigorous, rich, perfumed spicy and generous. Black fruits and cassis.Still very young and almost primary. Intense.
Palate: Rich, ripe, black fruits immediately on the palate. Lots of spice. Long and powerful and extremely intense. Almost a hot climate wine in its power and intensity, but retaining its grace and elegance. Powerful structure and deep strong flavours. Strong, all-pervading, granular tannins, but smooth. Majestic finish. Huge, black wine. We should remember that this was one of the very few 2003s to receive 100 points from a well-known American wine critic.

2001 MONTROSE
Colour: Still very young, purple and fresh and vigorous. Most attractive. Above all freshness and vivacity.
Nose: Predominant clean, fresh, vigorous fruit. Very fragrant. Deep–seated fruit right in the core of the wine. Mainly black and almost cassis in its intensity. Balanced and long aromas.
Palate: Just as in the colour and on the nose the vigour and energy is striking in its intensity. In spite of the strength of its structure, the wine is lean with great elegance. Balance and completeness in a wine, which has power allied to a refined harmony. Overall this is a classical and very pure, smooth Saint Estephe and Médoc, which can be drunk soon but which will last a long time. Breeding and graciousness!

2000 MONTROSE
Colour: Deep, powerful, intense and delicious colour.
Nose: Powerful, pungent, deep, vigorous nose, but remaining very fresh and spicy and fragrant. Black fruits.
Palate: Another big, powerful, deep, long Saint Estephe. Montrose is resplendent in its graceful power. Strong, deep tannins, granular but gentle. Deep, black fruit. Huge structure. Long in the mouth and finishing strongly. This is a big, fine wine, but needs a long time before being even vaguely ready to drink. Wait 10 years at the very least, 20 for preference.

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