A great wine from a great winemaker, Aymeric de Gironde. It is still young but shows tremendous potential. Intensity, body, cherries, and thyme. A wine that could turn out to be outstanding in a few years.
99 POINTS
Yves Beck
97 POINTS
Vinous
Reviewed by Antonio Galloni
96 POINTS
Robert Parker
Reviewed by William Kelley
The 2021 Troplong Mondot shows considerable promise, exhibiting aromas of plums and wild berries mingled with notions of sweet spices, rose petals, vine smoke, and raw cocoa, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless palate endowed with impressive intensity and texture. Built around beautifully refined, powdery tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long, mouthwateringly saline finish.
96 POINTS
James Suckling
96 POINTS
Decanter
95 POINTS
Neal Martin
95 POINTS
Jane Anson
95 POINTS
Alexandre Ma
About Chateau Troplong Mondot:
When Chateau Troplong Mondot was built in 1745, the de Seze family was already well-established in Bordeaux, and they owned several estates in Saint-Emilion at that time.
The 37-hectare estate is planted with 73% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Troplong Mondot is situated at the top of the Saint-Emilion plateau, offering views over the entire village of St. Emilion. 26.5 hectares of the estate are currently classified as 1er Cru.
The terroir consists of deep limestone deposits beneath thick clay soils, with fragments of flint and limestone scattered throughout. Since 1988, the vineyard planting has slowly evolved, with the average age of the vines around 30 years, but there are also old vines approaching 100 years of age. The oldest vines were planted in 1926, with others planted in 1947 and 1948.
Over the years, the cellars have undergone extensive modernization. The estate has been restructured, and today, 33% of the vines are cultivated using organic farming techniques, including the use of horses. Since 2007, Chateau Troplong Mondot has undergone a complete renovation of its winemaking facilities, including the addition of 11 shortened stainless steel tanks, ranging in size from 83 hectoliters to 99 hectoliters. In 2020, these were replaced with 40 conical stainless steel tanks, allowing for more work to be done parcel by parcel.
The wine is aged for an average of 16 to 24 months in 65% new French oak barrels, although this can vary depending on the strength and character of each vintage. The estate produces approximately 10,000 cases of Troplong Mondot annually, on average.
Jean Pierre Taleyson is the estate’s longtime cellar master. In 2006, Chateau Troplong Mondot was awarded the much-deserved promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé B status, which was upheld in the recent 2012 Saint-Emilion classification.
The style is bold and full-bodied, yet never heavy. It is almost a sensual wine, offering aromas of dark plums, licorice, blackberries, coffee, spices, dark cherries, stones, chocolate, flowers, and blackberry liqueur. Truly intense and capable of aging and developing over time.
