2003 Château Monbousquet, 12-bottle Lot

Château Monbousquet is an 81-acre estate in the St.-Émilion appellation. It became a Grand Cru Classé A in the 2006 St.-Émilion classification. The estate dates back centuries, and wine was first produced in the 19th century. By the early 20th century it was in disrepair, but Daniel Querre bought it in 1945 and made restorations and improved the wine. In 1993 Monbousquet was bought by Gerard Perse, a former professional cyclist and supermarket magnate who now owns numerous wine estates, including Pavie, Pavie-Decesse and La Clusière. Influential consultant Michel Rolland has been involved with the winemaking since Perse bought the estate. Vineyards are planted to 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. About 80,000 bottles are produced annually. The second label is Angelique de Monbousquet. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that since Perse acquired the property, Monbousquet “has been one of the stars of its appellation as well as one of Bordeaux’s most exotic offerings.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.