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Château Montlau Winery Guide

Winery Overview

This elegant, beautiful Château (castle would be a better description) could not have wished for a better location. Perched on a hill with spectacular views across the Dordogne River, Montlau is on the doorstep of the famous region of Saint-Emilion, the perfect base for exploring! The castle grounds are stunning; with picturesque gardens and immaculately groomed horses, you might occasionally see the owners taking a stroll! Located in the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux, Montlau may not be positioned in the most exalted area of the district, but that scarcely matters with such a fairy tale experience to offer visitors. Oh, and not forgetting, they make rather good wines too!

Montlau has an ancient history, one of the oldest in the area. The origins of the property date back to when the Romans were in town, as they planted the first vines in Bordeaux. The ancestor of the estate was built on terraces around 850 AD, where one of the original towers still exists. The castle was ‘modernized’ several times throughout the ages; the English left their mark when they ruled Bordeaux in the 15th century. Wine was first made here in 1473, and the operation was expanded in 1667. What we see today was built in 1763 and has hardly changed since. They survived the French Revolution, World Wars, and the recession to emerge stronger than ever!

The estate’s modern history began 40 years ago, when a Swiss aristocrat, Armand Schuster de Ballwil Sen Fontblanche, brought the property and decided to continue its legacy. His competent son, Armand Jr, makes the wines, while Armand and his wife, Elizabeth, run the estate and always welcome visitors! Montlau makes a wide variety of fantastic wines, from red to sparkling, and they consistently impress those who taste them. Their strength is their balanced outlook; the owners merge modern ideas of wine-making with ancient traditions. The cellar was created in the 1830s, and they still use the original wine-making equipment, antique presses, and pumps. A museum cellar indeed, but not a shadow of its former self. Montlau produces some of the best wines in the region and also offers high-quality hospitality. Contact us for information on unique wine lunches here, overlooking the Dordogne River in a fairy tale setting.

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Further Reading

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French Wine Classifications

July 9, 2024

Discover the rich history and traditions that have shaped French wine production, from the creation of regulated appellations to the rise of natural wines.

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Author

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James lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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