Château Montlabert

The origins of Montlabert are inextricably linked with the story of the Saint Emilion vineyards, a story UNESCO has taken to heart - by including the entire appellation area in its list of World Heritage sites. This is the first vineyard landscape to be recognised by UNESCO; high praise indeed for the generations of winegrowers who shaped the terroir, and for those working to protect it today. Château Montlabert is proud to be part of the story.

Château Montlabert lies on the Route de Libourne, and shares the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation with a number of its prestigious neighbours: Cheval Blanc, Clos des Jacobins and Château Figeac are just a stone’s throw away. They share not just physical proximity, but also the same exacting standards, and of course the same drive towards excellence.

Château Montlabert is an associate of the Jurade de Saint Emilion, an ancient brotherhood of wine, where it has been represented by Sophie Castel (3rd generation of the Castel family) since September 2016. Membership of the Jurade highlights Montlabert’s commitment to promoting its vineyards, and confirms its position as one of the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation’s most prestigious properties.

Montlabert has only 13 hectares of vines - planted as a single unit - making vineyard management an exercise in precision. The approach is plot-specific, the techniques modern; they include soil management, pruning and harvesting. Every activity is meticulously managed. Just like an English country garden!

Cover crops are grown year-round at Montlabert as a way to protect the remarkable soils. They may be cereals, legumes or cruciferous crops; all are specifically chosen to suit each particular plot. The focus is on maintaining a symbiosis between the vines and the surrounding flora: good ground management promotes natural balance.

Precision tillage involves adopting techniques to suit the terroir, and adapting to the prevailing climate. Ploughing at Montlabert takes all this into account, and uses not the conventional four ploughing methods, but eight. Doubling the number of times the soil is turned helps to loosen it, improving penetration by air, water and rain, and is a natural way of tackling weed growth without the use of chemicals.

Montlabert’s attention to detail knows no bounds - and neither do its aspirations. By working with 5 cooperage companies each offering three toast levels, the château has 15 possible choices for barrel-ageing its wines. And with Montlabert’s plot-by-plot approach informing every choice, each vineyard parcel can decide on its own unique combination.