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Château Bastor-Lamontagne

There are few Barsac and Sauternes estates lying outside the two tiers (three if you include Yquem's exalted position at the summit) of the 1855 classification which receive much attention, if indeed any. Indeed, there are quite a number of the second growth châteaux that are rarely sighted. One of the few unclassified estates that does crop up rather frequently, however, is Château Bastor-Lamontagne, an estate with which I have been familiar ever since my first taste of the fresh, blood-orange tones of the 1986 vintage. Since then I have on occasion noticed this fresh, flavoursome, citrus fruit trait in a number of other vintages, not least the 2003 and 2004. Often a lighter and less unctuous wine than its more highly-ranked peers, Bastor-Lamontagne has a character that will appeal to many looking for a brighter style of Sauternes. Classified or not, this is a property with which we should at least be familiar.

A Brief History

The Bastor-Lamontagne story begins, as far as we are concerned, in the early 18th century, when it was in the possession of the French crown. In July 1711 the Bastore estate, as it appears to have been called (Bastore was perhaps the name of an earlier proprietor), was bestowed upon a Bordeaux parliamentarian named Vincent de la Montaigne (which accounts for the Montagne suffix). On maps drawn up later that century by Belleyme the estate is shown to have a vineyard, clearly indicating that there was already active viticulture here at the time, although this is likely to have been just one of many crops that were planted.

It was not until 1839 and the arrival of Amédée Larrieu, who also owned Château Haut-Brion, that viticulture began to dominate. By this time turning out sweet wines typical of the appellation, the estate remained with the Larrieu family until 1936 when it was sold. It was Viscount de Larochebrochard, a descendent of the Larrieu family, who decided to relinquish his hold on the property. The buyer was Foncier-Vignobles, who have maintained their ownership through to the 21st century.

The Vineyards of Bastor-Lamontagne

The vineyard of Bastor-Lamontagne covers 56 hectares (including a single 52-hectare block) in Preignac, one of the five communes entitled to the Sauternes appellation. They lie very close to those of Suduiraut, just to the south, with the Autoroute des Deux Mers running just to the north. The château and buildings sit on the south-eastern border of the vineyards, and both château and vines are dwarfed by two gigantic plane trees, the largest for miles, which straddle the gateway into the vineyard (see image below). Underfoot, the soils are rich in sand and gravel, the vineyards planted on flat terraces of material deposited in past millennia by the Garonne. Beneath these superficial layers there is a limestone bedrock. The vines are 80% Semillon, 17% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle, and have an average age exceeding 37 years.

The fruit is harvested by hand in the sequence of tries necessary for picking nobly rotten fruit, usually with between four and six passes through the vineyard. The yield is typically less than 20 hl/ha, a very low figure when compared to the red wines of the region, but we must remember that the dehydration consequent upon botrytis infection will always dramatically reduce yields, and such figures are in fact the norm for the appellation. Once in the chai the fruit undergoes a pneumatic pressing, and is then left to settle before being transferred for fermentation into oak barrels, where the wine stays during this process and the subsequent élevage. The fermentations and other processes are overseen by technical director is Michel Garat, who also has responsibility for a number of other châteaux, of which the best known is Beauregard in Pomerol although there is also Saint Robert in Graves and Pavillon Bel-Air in Lalande-de-Pomerol, and he has also been a keen advocate of the Marathon de Sauternes, which was run for the first time in June 2011.

Although it is tempting to ascribe the style of Bastor-Lamontagne to its position on the edge of the appellation and its proximity to the remnants woods that run alongside the vineyards of Bastor and Suduiraut, I think it is in fact largely down to the style preferences of Garat. He prefers a lighter and fresher style which may have a broader range of functions at table to a sweeter, richer, more prodigious wine. Of the barrels he uses typically only 15% are new, and the wine rests within for between 13 and 18 months, depending on the vintage. The resulting grand vin is Château Bastor-Lamontagne, of which there may be as many as 7000 cases per annum, and there is a second wine named Les Remparts de Bastor. In addition there is a special cuvée - Caprice de Bastor-Lamontagne - apparently aimed at drinkers unfamiliar with the 'over-rich and over-complex' Sauternes. It is a blend of equal parts Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, there are less than 2000 cases per annum, and it seems to be intended for drinking young.

Bastor-Lamontagne: Tasting and Drinking

I have little real experience with the second wine or indeed with Caprice, and my comments really pertain to the grand vin. On the whole I find the wine to be solid, fresh rather than rich or luscious, and fairly dependable provided this is the sort of style that appeals to you. Other vintages tasted since the 1986 have all matched this description, although the 2007 and 2009 both displayed a step up in terms of weight, substance and texture which to my palate was impressive, and it may be that other very successful vintages for the region where I have not had the opportunity to assess Bastor-Lamontagne, such as 2001, have produced a similarly good result. It certainly seems to work best in richer vintages, where a touch more residual sugar in the wine does much to balance out the trademark citrus-acid backbone of the wine. In other vintages, to my palate, the wines are on the light side, but in these cases they should appeal to those who crave a less rich style of Sauternes with some good acidity, and they have the added bonus of being good value too. (8/5/08, updated 13/1/12)

Contact details:
Address: Château Bastor-Lamontagne, 33210 Preignac
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 63 27 66
Fax: +33 (0) 5 56 76 87 03
Internet: www.bastor-lamontagne.com
GPS: 44.56503, -0.310188

Château Bastor-Lamontagne - Tasting Notes

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Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2010: Residual sugar 108 g/l, below the vintage average but that is normal for Bastor. Bright and fresh and really citrusy. Very fresh palate too, full of citrus notes, tangerine especially, nuanced by smoke. Mildly liquorous, with a good depth on the palate. Honeyed and with a suggestion of botrytis grit to it. Rather bitter elements too, a fruit pithiness, coming into the midpalate which do detract a little though. But overall lots of good raw material here. Super effort. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 16-17/20 (April 2011)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2009: Freshness as always from Bastor, although not the trademark blood orange notes several vintages have given me in the past; perhaps this vintage was just too warm and rich for that? Yellow fruits, plum, and a lovely lift on the nose. A different style on the palate when compared to other wines tasted here, much less sweet, with a more tangible substance because of that, elements of grip and pith coming in, giving the wine a very citrusy feel to it, even though there is still a very good weight here. Stylish, and will probably offer very good value. From my tasting of 2009 Sauternes at two years of age. 17/20 (October 2011)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2009: Sweet golden fruits on the nose here, although they are presented in a very crisp fashion. Fleshy and quite bold on the palate, certainly a fresh style, with good acidity. Impressive weight for Bastor, with a solid grip underneath. Overall a very good effort here. From my 2009 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16.5-17.5+/20 (March 2010)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2008: Fine fruit here, pineapple and honey with touches of orange and lemon, all wrapped up in a crystalline character. Slightly gritty, with some fatness on the palate, supple yet grippy, with a nice fruit quality, although very pure, defined and citrusy as Bastor often is. Lovely bright acidity though, with a nicely fat texture. And piles of substance. Not much in the way of botrytis or deep complexity but the latter will come I hope. Impressive for the estate. From my tasting of 2008 Sauternes at two years of age. 16/20 (October 2010)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2007: A delightful nose here, full of blood oranges and lychee and grapefruit, with a fresh and bright style. Vigorous and appealing on the palate, rather solid in style, with gently crisp flavours. Honeyed finish, with flourishes of pastry and baklawa too. This is impressive for Bastor. From my tasting of 2007 Sauternes at two years of age. 16.5+/20 (October 2009)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2007: An attractive nose of crystalline oranges and pineapples, in a light and fresh style. Lovely flesh, supple but grippy beneath. Nice substance through the midpalate, and a firm and peppery structure here. A good sweet finish. Very attractive and plenty of interest. This is impressive for Bastor-Lamontagne. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2008)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2006: Lemons, oranges, blood oranges and more here. The palate is light and fresh, with plenty of lifting acidity. It has a sweet twist, but has a clean, light character with a slightly sour feel to it. It will appeal to fans of Bastor I think, which usually produces a lighter and zippy style, but it lacks the sweetness to balance the fresh, citrusy acidity for my palate. From my tasting of 2006 Sauternes at two years of age. 14+/20 (October 2008)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2005: Lovely aromatics on the nose here, much more lifted and perfumed than the 2003, showing soft, white fruits and a fresh minerality. Light, bright and vivacious on the palate, and perhaps there is not the depth and texture that you might hope for. A nice, clean style, with decent acidity, but it lacks impact. It needs time to show its best. 15+/20 (February 2008)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2005: Lightness and freshness here, as is typical of Bastor I think. The palate has a lovely, cleansing style, with light pineapple and apple fruit to the fore, with spice and pepper bringing up the rear. Good midpalate texture, although it fades away a little thereafter. Good fruit though. From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. 15.5-16/20 (October 2007)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2004: Blood oranges, something I seem to find in every vintage of Bastor! Rather lifted and certainly fresh on the nose. Light in style on the palate though, fresh and lean, crisp acidity, peppery. Firmly styled, no seductive fat here. Merely good. From my 2004 Bordeaux assessment. 15/20 (October 2006)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2003: A golden hue, with just a tinge of green, and a gently sweet nose with notes of honey and nice botrytis. Fresh, it has a delicately plump texture, with quince flavour and a touch of oranges, and there is certainly an attractive sweetness. There is some appeal here, in texture at least. A decent wine. 15.5/20 (February 2008)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2003: A pale golden wine, with a nose of honey, vanilla and lanolin. It is plump, creamy, rich and resinous, although it lightens up somewhat through the midpalate. Not as much flavour here as the texture demands, and lower acidity than is often the case with Bastor. There isn't the usual definition I expect. Good though. From the 2007 CIVB tasting. 15.5/20 (October 2007)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 2003: AA fresh, blood-orange nose. A clean, fresh, lighter wine, but with some decent botrytis character. Quite floral, still showing some oak. Crisp style, as refreshing and pure as morning dew. Good. Although it doesn't have the weight or impact one might look for in this vintage, but in my experience this is the Bastor-Lamontagne style. From my 2003 Bordeaux assessment. 16/20 (October 2005)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 1999: A second vintage of this wine. This has a mid-golden hue. It is very fresh on the nose, with attractive lightly honey-coated fruits. On the palate it is typical Bastor, with a lighter style than some others, fresh and delicate rather than opulent, but nicely lifted by an incisive blood orange acidity. This is very true to style for Bastor, which often seems to show this firm body of acids I think. Good. From the 2007 CIVB tasting. 15.5+/20 (October 2007)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 1986: Moderately deep yellow gold colour. On the nose, an appealing streak of honey, and aromas of fresh, juicy oranges. Medium-bodied at best, although the overall texture is creamy and quite pleasing. It's cut through by fairly aggressive acidity, Sharp, bitter orange flavours dominate. Coped well with a home-made plum crumble. 15.5/20 (April 2002)

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes) 1986: This rich golden-amber wine had a pleasant apricot and botrytis nose, with a palate of blood oranges and tangerines, lemons and honey. Somewhat sharp acidity and moderate weight lead into a clean finish with an attractive length. Good rather than excellent, but a pleasing match with some sweet Mediterranean pastries. 15.5/20 (January 2001)