Château Troplong Mondot 2018
IN BOND
Delivery 2021
GRAPE VARIETIES
13% Cabernet Sauvignon - 85% Merlot - 2% Cabernet Franc
The 2018 Troplong Mondot is blended of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.56. Deep garnet-purple in color, it begins slowly with bold, bright black raspberries, ripe black plums, fresh blackberries and Morello cherries notes, giving way to underlying scents of tobacco, wild sage, Sichuan pepper, black olives, truffles and Marmite toast with hints of crushed stones and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers wonderfully fresh, energetic black fruit with a downright racy line of freshness (uncommon for this vintage) and firm, rounded tannins, finishing long with lots of mineral, earth and dried herbs layers giving beautiful electric sparks.
Score: 93/95+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
The focus to this wine sets a new standard for Troplong Mondot with density and minerality that I have not encountered for decades. Lots of slate and white-pepper character. Tight and very dense. Full body. Balanced. Wild mineral character and freshness here. Precise.
Score: 97/98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019
The 2018 Troplong Mondot is a remarkable wine. All the elements fall into place in a stunning, aromatically intense Troplong Mondot that is full of character. There is a level of precision and vibrancy in the 2018 that is simply breathtaking. Black cherry, raspberry, mocha, flowers, mint and spice all meld together in this captivating, arrestingly beautiful Saint-Émilion. New oak is 60%, with lower toast levels than what was common just a few years ago. The blend is 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Score: 94/97 Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, May 2019