Etienne Théodore Dumoulin built the château and planted the first vines at Montrose in the early 19th century. After belonging to the Charmolüe family for over a century, the estate was acquired by Martin and Olivier Bouygues in 2006. Château Montrose has a large vineyard in a single block overlooking the Gironde estuary on a siliceous-gravel rise with a clay and marl subsoil. The vines must sink their roots very deep into this soil to find nourishment, which makes for wines of character. Furthermore, the estate has excellent sun exposure.
Until the end of 1990s, the traditional Médoc blend of grape varieties (with only 25% Merlot) generally produced full-bodied, muscular wines with great aging potential. Today, the proportion of Merlot has been increased to 35%. This illustrates the current winemaking team's intention for more velvety tannins and better overall balance.
