Exclusive: Montrose Blanc – reviving a Médoc white wine tradition
With white wine production increasing across the Médoc, Decanter's Bordeaux correspondent Georgie Hindle reveals the new cuvée from Château Montrose and discovers the story behind it.
Château Montrose, in St-Estèphe, has long been synonymous with powerful, ageworthy reds. Yet, this second-growth estate, acquired by the Bouygues family in 2006, is now unveiling a white wine: Montrose Blanc.
This small-production cuvée will revive a forgotten legacy while embracing innovation. It won’t be just another Bordeaux white – a category that has been steadily rising over the past decade.
The family assert it will be a gastronomic statement, estate-driven and terroir-focused, arriving at a time when white wines are surging in popularity across the Médoc.
Historical connection
White wine production at Montrose dates to 1866, when then owner, Alsatian industrialist Mathieu Dollfus planted Riesling vines for his personal use on land typically reserved for reds.
More than a century later, in the 1980s, the Charmolüe family planted Sauvignon Blanc on clay-limestone soils for a small, private cuvée.
‘Montrose Blanc has journeyed through the ages like a well-kept secret,’ notes the estate’s press materials, emphasising the new cuvée as a continuation of this ‘lineage of transmission’.
A tradition revived
The Bouygues family revived this tradition in 2017, planting Semillon and Sauvignon Gris on a dedicated one-hectare plot.
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Technical Director Vincent Decup explained the decision. ‘We started with a blank page. Montrose has a big terroir, but we believe that for what we were looking for, for our style, the Montrose DNA and for the owner, these were the natural grape choices.’
In 2023, the team planted an additional 0.5ha of Marsanne and Roussanne, two late-ripening Rhône varieties that ‘make precious allies’ in the fight against the weather and hydric stress.
‘Rhône varietals offer us a concrete answer to the challenge of climate change,’ says Managing Director Pierre Graffeuille. ‘Marsanne and Roussanne are a choice for the future.’ These will join blends from 2026, preserving freshness amid rising temperatures and drier summers.
The project is owner-driven, reflecting Martin Bouygues’ preference for fresh, aromatic yet structured whites with good ageing potential. As much as he is fond of Bordeaux Blancs, he is also a fan of white Châteauneuf du Pape.
Terroir influence
The key to the character of Montrose Blanc is its terroir; the soils of terrace number three (there are six in total in Bordeaux) is one of the Médoc’s top vineyard sites.
This T3 plateau features well-draining sandy gravels over a deep clay-gravel matrix, creating natural water stress that forces deep rooting.
Traditionally used for high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, the plot was replanted with whites – a deliberate decision to prove that great whites require great terroir.
Decup notes: ‘T3 offers a natural water constraint… compelling the vines to drive their roots vertically in search of water far below.’
Winemaking here is meticulous. Grapes are picked in several passes akin to the harvests in Sauternes, where colour and ripeness are key.
They then undergo horizontal pressing with four cycles, followed by fermentation (and sometimes malolactic fermentation) in barrels and 12 months’ ageing in French oak (usually 30% new), with regular bâtonnage, or lees stirring, for the first two months.
A key element is the inclusion of press wine – rare in whites – which lends a silky texture and seamless tannins, creating an elegant, tactile structure. Malolactic fermentation isn’t carried out every year, just when desired.
Tasting the inaugural vintages reveals this ambition. The 2022, a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, shows bright citrus and white flowers, with a mineral core and fine acidity – impressive for a debut from this hot vintage, though still evolving.
The 2023, the first to be commercialised this year, elevates it. A blend of 58% Semillon and 42% Sauvignon Gris, it displays a pale-gold hue, precise nose of florals and ripe white fruits, and a generously rich and silky palate with integrated, lifted acidity and persistent minerality.
Proof in the glass
Having sampled both, I’m struck by the 2023’s complexity and balance. It’s serious and structured like a fine white Burgundy, yet distinctly Bordeaux in its freshness.
Different from its sister white, Tronquoy Blanc, made nearby, it’s a more powerful, demonstrative wine full of energy but also texture.
The project aligns with Montrose’s broader innovative ethos where terroir comes first – a vision established by Graffeuille upon his arrival in 2023. Within this framework, Montrose Blanc is no exception, fitting naturally into an estate philosophy where every wine is defined by its place of origin.
Montrose Blanc joins the portfolio alongside the Terrasse III red wine, produced as of the 2023 vintage from the same plateau, showcasing micro-terroir precision. This leaves all of the historic terrace four plots for the Grand Vin.
The estate is also addressing climate change. Vineyard restructuring aims to increase Cabernet Sauvignon to 70% by 2050 and reduce Merlot. At the same time, the estate is testing, through dedicated R&D trials, Rhône rootstocks and higher trunk and canopy heights as possible tools to delay ripening.
The Médoc white appellation
Thanks to Médoc whites gaining traction, an Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AP) for Médoc Blanc was approved last year. But Montrose is opting out.
Although Marsanne and Roussane wouldn’t be permitted under the rules anyway, the team are prioritising brand identity over appellation.
‘The identity of Montrose goes beyond appellation,’ said Decup. ‘We look for a balance, a style, a signature DNA more than an AP.’ The style diverges from typical Médoc whites which are predominantly driven by Sauvignon Blanc, aiming instead for density and gastronomic versatility – especially with the inclusion of Marsanne and Roussanne.
In an era where Bordeaux estates must innovate to stay relevant, Montrose Blanc stands out as a thoughtful evolution. Started years ago, it’s only now ready for release – a classy, serious white that will shine on the dinner table.
Production won’t change the estate’s fortunes – it’s small and likely to stay that way with limited plots on terrace three available. But the white enriches its narrative, honouring the past while eyeing a resilient future, proving the château and the Médoc’s versatility.
A full tasting note and analysis of the 2023 will come later this year, following the official unveiling of the wine.