Chateau Monbousquet - Saint Emilion 2010
Price: $109.96
| Producer | Chateau Monbousquet |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | St. Emilion |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2010 |
| Sku | 602897 |
| Size | 750ml |
This wine rated well on release and it has stood up over the past rougly decade and a half. We had a chance to open and taste it recently to find it in a fantastic spot! The wine still looking youthful with a nose of black cherry, cherry pit, and a hint of grill. On the palate, it's rich with cherry flavors, balanced by softened tannins and a touch of oak. It opened up very well over the course of an hour. While it’s drinking wonderfully now, you don't need to be in a hurry to get to it.
Château Monbousquet's history dates back to 1540, with its ownership passing through several prominent families over the centuries. Significant developments occurred under the de Carles family from 1682 to 1826, during which the estate gained renown for its fine wine production. The property flourished under the direction of the Comte de Vassal-Montviel in the 19th century, expanding the vineyard to its current size. However, Monbousquet's reputation waned in the early 20th century until the Querre family began revitalizing it post-World War II. The estate's modern resurgence began in 1993 under Chantal and Gérard Perse, who transformed Monbousquet into a Grand Cru Classé by 2006.
Château Monbousquet, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate, is located southwest of Saint-Émilion and spans 79 acres under vine. The vineyard, with an average vine age of 38 years, is planted with 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, producing around 8,300 cases annually. The 32 hectares of diverse terroirs include sandy, sandy-clay, and sandy-gravel soils. Viticulture practices include green harvesting, leaf thinning, and hand-picking and sorting. The estate features a recently rebuilt fermentation cellar with temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and an aging cellar where wines mature for 18-24 months in new oak barrels. The wine undergoes racking every three months, with final blending done before bottling, without fining or filtration.
James Suckling: 95 Points
Great nose of spices, dried herbs, chocolate and coffee. Very intense nose. Full-bodied, with fabulous tannins and finesse. This is layered and rich yet very harmonious. Best Monbusquet ever.
Wine Spectator: 95 Points
A lush, modern, style, with hyperdrive on the blueberry, loganberry and boysenberry fruit flavors. Nothing gets too heady though, as there's charcoal-studded grip, smoldering coffee grinds and roasted bay leaf notes all in the background for definition and further development with cellaring. Modern, yes, but firmly grounded in its terroir.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Monbousquet slides effortlessly out of the glass with seductive notes of baked plums, blackberry compote and dried mulberries plus hints of espresso, black olives and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firmly structured with chewy tannins and lively acidity framing the Rubenesque fruit, finishing long and savory.
Vinous Media: 92 Points
The 2010 Monbousquet has plenty of blackberry, boysenberry jam and fig aromas on the intense nose, well defined with hints of dried honey in the background. It improves with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip, plenty of body and depth with multi-layered black fruit, tobacco and white pepper notes, leading to a slightly tarry, grippy finish. This could be a long-term proposition.
