The 2021 La Dame de Montrose is a worthy counterpoint to the grand vin, shedding a touch of youthful reduction in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with exotic spices, orange zest and petals. Medium to full-bodied, suave and sensual, it's layered and complete, with a lively, charming profile.

Representing some 40% of the estate's production, the 2021 La Dame de Montrose offers up aromas of sweet berries, black truffle and burning embers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant palate that's pure and precise. It's a fine effort that will likely take on additional depth with ?levage. This large estate overlooking the Gironde in Saint-Est?phe produces some of Bordeaux's greatest and longest-lived wines, and the last 15 or so years have seen it benefit from sustained investment. There's a brand-new winery and cellars, of course, but there's a lot of work going on in the vineyards too. When Olivier and Martin Bouygues acquired Ch?teau Montrose from the Charmol?e family in 2006, the estate included fully 17 hectares of pre-clonal vines dating back to the early 20th century, and a massale selection program has since identified 80 viable individuals, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, for use when replanting (the same efforts are currently being lavished on Merlot, drawing on a block behind the ch?teau acquired from Ph?lan-S?gur). Now cover crops are being trialed, and the soils are being cultivated more superficially to avoid disrupting the microbiome. Winemaking is rather classical, with maturation in some 60% new oak. In 2021, the estate's first year in organic conversion, technical director Vincent Decup opted for three-week macerations and paid particular attention to the quality of press wine included in the blend.