Château Troplong Mondot Saint-Emilion 2020 - 1er Grand Cru Classé B

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Crowning the Côte Pavie, this 27-hectare vineyard has suffered less erosion than all the other Saint-Emilion crus. The particularity of this single-cluster terroir lies in its location, as well as in its very dense, powerful clays from the Agenais region, interspersed with stones and pebbles. Its former owner, Catherine Valette-Pariente, who passed away in 2014, had restored Troplong Mondot to its former glory, when it was bought by reinsurer Scor in 2017. The property was then entrusted to Aymeric de Gironde, who had been running Cos d'Estournel, one of the Médoc's most prominent crus classés. To enhance the nuances and freshness of the wine's constitution, this native of the Charente region modified the vinification process as soon as he arrived: a gentler method, based on the infusion of marc and raw materials, and a reduction in the use of new barrels were the first adjustments. A new winery is currently under construction to bring out the best in the plots: with this new tool, we'll be able to be more precise in all our technical gestures. It will also enable us to make the most of our latest land acquisitions, whether Clos Labarde or Bellisle-Mondotte, neighboring crus that will for the time being be part of the second wine. In 2020, in this new concept, the restaurant should reopen with the same Michelin-starred chef, David Charrier. 2017 and 2018 mark the arrival of a fresher, clearer style.

Decanter

About the wine:

A sensational Troplong. Vibrant and lively, it puts a smile on your face from the very first nose: milk chocolate, floral notes of rose and lavender, wet stones, licorice, cinnamon and ripe bramble fruit. Round and exciting on the palate, the tannins are abundant, the chalky blueberry freshness and saline flavor take hold. Pleasant purity of fruit and precision; there's a sense of sharp definition - still linear, which makes it immediately less charming than the 2019, but gives it undeniable complexity. Deep but not heady, it remains pure and precise, with a leanness due to terroir that really sets it apart. After a few minutes, the glamour begins to appear, giving the finish a salivating, succulent, gourmand aspect. An absolute beauty. 2028-2047

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Troplong Mondot 2020 could turn out to be even better than the brilliant 2019, and is one of the best Right Bank wines of this vintage. In the glass, it displays deep aromas of blackberry and red cherry mixed with notes of rose petal, licorice and exotic spices. It's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a satiny attack that evolves into a vibrant, polished mid-palate, ending with a long, resonant finish. With only 65% new oak and malolactic fermentation in tank rather than barrel, it is remarkably pure and seamless. With the 2020 vintage, this estate's stylistic redemption seems complete. 2027-2060

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

After the death in 2014 of its owner, Christine Valette-Pariente, Troplong-Mondot, which sits on the most dominant position in Saint-Emilion, seems to be wondering about its future. Together with her husband Xavier, "Queen Christine" embodied the renaissance of this estate, which was confirmed as a Premier Grand Cru B in 2012. A well-deserved reward, first and foremost for the terroir, but also for the work accomplished by Christine and Xavier Pariente over more than twenty years. All the vintages produced since the end of the 1980s (with 1989 and 1990 at the top of the list) have pushed the cursors to the limit to demonstrate the excellence of this property located on the Mondot hillock. A page has been turned in Saint-Emilion's contemporary history. The château offers an excellent restaurant in a personal and refined setting, as well as magnificent guest rooms (Les Belles Perdrix).

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This firmly structured wine, with a high percentage of Merlot, is powerful and dense. Frank black fruit and perfumed density are impressive. It will age well, ready to drink from 2028.

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

Troplong Mondot 2020 is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, this 2020 is wonderfully exuberant from the start. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all present. It has extraordinary breadth and power, but without the excessive weight of the past. Even so, this 2020 is a great wine that needs a good ten years to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is present, but cushioned by vibrant acids and tons of minerality. Harvesting began on September 5 and ended on October 8, a very wide window for the right bank, reminding us just how different the plots are. 2030-2060

Yves Beck

About the wine:

The wine shines with definition, depth and complexity. What freshness, what grandeur, what paradoxes in a sunny context. Silky and powerful on the palate, the wine has exceptional tannins and, above all, imposing fullness without any heaviness, thanks to a fine balance between tension and density. The tannins are fine and tight, in perfect harmony with the acid structure. In everyday language, we'd say there are Watts! But there's also Newton in a notion of weightlessness! Such depth, such quiet strength. This is a great success, in which nothing in particular comes to the fore... no, it's the whole that comes to the fore, and the details create the final entity. The wine is ample, precise, powerful, elegant, long and harmonious. The fruity finish is brilliant. Troplong-Mondot is of rare finesse, finishing on chalky, saline notes. A brilliant wine of great definition. 2027-2047

Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing

About the wine:

Slightly atramentary at this stage, very violet, black cherry, a little spicy, the nose offers a remarkable mentholated freshness. What brilliance! The palate is coated, satiny, powerful but perfectly contained by delicate tannins. Let's make no mistake: the wine has plenty of substance, with structuring tannins, but the mouthfeel is so silky that everything seems delicate and ethereal. Despite its power, Troplong Mondot 2020 is crystalline, pure and very fresh. This estate achieves an aestheticism of great class. This vintage, which may turn out to be better than 2019 with time, confirms the full potential of this cru.