Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
It is no secret to anyone following the Bordeaux wine scene that Monbousquet, with its new young, passionate proprietor, is pushing the envelop of quality. As a result, recent vintages have produced the finest wines I have ever tasted from this estate. Yields for 1993 were just over two tons an acre, and in 1994 and 1995, well under two tons an acre. In addition to trying to emulate the great success enjoyed by such St.-Emilion chateaux as Angelus, Troplong-Mondot, and Valandraud, Monbousquet is being bottled with no fining or filtration. Opaque purple-colored, with a tight but promising nose of cherry jam, blackcurrants, smoked herbs, and grilled meats, this dense, chewy, medium to full-bodied wine exhibits the vintage's tough tannin. However, this 1994 possesses enough fruit, glycerin, and extract to counterbalance the wine's structure.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.