Chateau Montrose is a leading estate of the Saint-Estèphe commune of the Médoc region in Bordeaux. It was ranked as a second growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, and is regarded as one of the very best properties at that level. The 95-hectare (235-acre) vineyard exists, unusually for modern Bordeaux, as one single entity. It is sited on an exposed site of deep, coarse gravels with sand and a little clay, overlooking the Gironde. The immediate proximity of the water has a moderating effect on both frost and summer heat, and the pebbles in the soil retain daytime warmth into the evening, aiding ripening. The estate is situated around a mile from Cos d'Estournel and the border with Pauillac. The vineyard is planted to a range of the classic Bordeaux varieties: 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Merlot, 6 percent Cabernet Franc and 2 percent Petit Verdot.