ABOUT
CHÂTEAU MONLOT
Its history, its teams, its vineyards…
Over 400 years of history
The history of the Château
Immerse yourself in the fascinating past of Château Monlot, a majestic 17th-century building of blonde stone in the heart of the prestigious Saint-Émilion vineyards, marked by four centuries of history.
The teams
Meet the Château Monlot team, dedicated enthusiasts who combine their expertise and love of wine to produce exceptional vintages. Each plays a decisive role in the tireless quest for winemaking excellence.
The vineyard
Discover the Château Monlot vineyard, a veritable gift of nature, where each plot of land is pampered to give birth to wines of character. This is where the art of viticulture takes on its full meaning, in harmony with a unique, carefully preserved terroir.
Château Monlot’s rich past: From royalty to winemaking excellence
From its construction on royal land to its transmission to various eminent families, discover the the history of this exceptional residence.
From royal origin to Capet seigneury (17th century)
The story of Château Monlot begins in the time of King Louis XIII, in the heart of what was then a simple hunting lodge. It was here that the Marquis de Beuvron and the Comtesse de Guerchy were granted their lands. The estate was then attached to the Capet seigneury.
A name for Château Monlot (1763 - 1803)
In 1763, the Taillade family took over the Château. A few decades later, in 1803, the inheritance passed to the Ichon family. Monlot was born when the Seigneurie de Capet was divided into three lots. This previously nameless château has now found its identity, its imprint and its future.
A new lease of life under the Rivals (1990 - 2011)
A new chapter began in 1990 with Bernard and Béatrice Rivals. Seduced by the house’s undeniable charm, they decided to buy it. Under their aegis, the Château underwent a veritable metamorphosis, seeing the quality of its wines rise to new heights.
The advent of Zhao Wei and the era of renewal (Since 2011)
From 2011, the transformation of Château Monlot takes on a new dimension whenactress Zhao Wei becomes the new owner of the Château.. This marks the beginning of an exciting renewal for the château and its vineyards. From the restructuring of the vineyard to the complete renovation of the winery, not forgetting the complete refurbishment of the residence, Château Monlot is back on track, flying the flag for the Saint Emilion Grand Cru appellation.
Le vignoble
The vineyard: An exceptional terroir
Nestled in the heart of Saint-Emilion, Château Monlot’s 8-hectare vineyard is divided into two distinct sectors, which reveal the soul of this historic estate. On one side, 5 hectares of clay-silica soils, mostly dedicated to our second wine, Héritage de Monlot. On the other, 3 hectares flanked by hillsides, offering clay-limestone soils, a reservoir of minerality for our wines.
Concerned about preserving the environment in which Château Monlot takes shape, we are HVE 3 certified and are committed to responsible farming that respects the local flora and fauna.
The grape varieties are 75% Merlot, providing roundness, opulence and an aromatic palette ranging from raspberry to red cherry. The remaining 25% is Cabernet Franc, the quintessential Bordeaux grape variety, providing structure, fine tannins and notes of raspberries, violets and spices. Our vines, on average thirty years old, reflect this exceptional Saint-Émilion terroir.
Winemaking: know-how and dedication
At Château Monlot, winemaking is an art that involves several stages, all essential to the creation of our precious nectars. The harvest, first carried out plot by plot at optimum grape maturity, is a meticulous dance orchestrated with our consultant oenologist. Early harvesting ensures freshness and preserves aromas.
The berries are then meticulously sorted and de-stemmed before passing through a delicate crusher, releasing their juice without chewing. This is followed by alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, where manual pumping and chemical transformations follow one another to extract color and convert sugar into alcohol.
After malolactic fermentation, which reduces the wine’s acidity, comes the blending stage, where we define the unique signature of our cuvées. The wine is then placed in French oak barrels, where it matures for 12 to 18 months. Finally, bottling seals our work, before the wines return to the tranquility of our cellars to mature.
Between tradition and innovation, respect for the terroir and exceptional know-how, the Château Monlot vineyard offers wines of character, a reflection of this unique Saint-Emilion location.
Château Monlot
With a clay-limestone soil worthy of the best Saint-Emilion terroirs, Château Monlot is the assurance of a balanced, complex wine that will surprise you with its soft tannins and long finish. Thanks to a rigorous selection of berries, this wine reveals the very best of the Saint-Emilion terroir through a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the appellation’s flagship grape varieties. A wine for laying down!
Monlot heritage
Its fresh, fruity character makes it an easy wine to enjoy. The omnipresence of Merlot gives it roundness and present yet silky tannins, with a lively bouquet of red fruit. A wine that can be enjoyed today and tomorrow!
