Sweet berry and green pepper aromas lead into a nicely controlled palate of red liquorice, black pastilles, loganberries, liquid cherry and a firm spine of crisp acidity. It’s all encased in an as yet impenetrable layer of grippy tannins.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: This estate continues to merit substantial praise. Let’s hope in the upcoming revised Classification of the Wines of St.-Emilion, Troplong Mondot merits elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classe, which it has deserved for some time. Not far off the pace of the spectacular 2000, the 2001 is performing even better from bottle than it was from cask. A gorgeous perfume of plum jam, creme de cassis, flowers, licorice, black fruits, a hint of graphite, and well-integrated wood notes is followed by a medium to full-bodied St.-Emilion with superb texture, great flavor purity, and tremendous harmony as well as elegance. Remarkably approachable despite its impressive concentration and well-concealed tannin, this is a beauty.
- Vinous: The 2001 Troplong Mondot, which is almost entirely Merlot, has a little more amplitude and personality on the nose than the previous vintage, offering a mélange of red and black fruit, blood orange and a sprinkling of white pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity. It tightens up in the glass, turning slightly powdery in texture, and delivers dark cherries, sloe and fig with good persistence. Like the 2000, this is quite precocious and forward, but it shows more tension and complexity toward the finish.
Producer Information
hâteau Troplong Mondot is a producer located on the hills of Saint-Émilion, on the right bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux. Typically for the region, Merlot is the dominant grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are also used in smaller proportions. Troplong Mondot is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Saint-Émilion classification. This was most recently updated in 2012. Under the previous owners, and their consultant winemaker Michel Rolland, the wine was known for its deep color, concentration and full bodied style. However in 2017 the estate was sold. The new owners, the French Insurance group SOCR, brought in Aymeric de Gironde – formerly of Pichon Baron and Cos d’Estournel – to manage the estate, with new winemaking consultants. Many changes have been implemented. Two neighboring vineyard parcels have been added. Six hectares (15 acres) were acquired from Clos Labarde and 4ha (10 acres) from Bellisle Mondot. Initially these will contribute to the second wine, Mondot. The pre existing vineyards cover 33 hectares (81.5 acres). Soils are well draining limestone and clay, interspersed with chalk and flint. Troplong Mondot has a cooler climate, at a higher elevation, than most of Saint-Émillon. Under the previous owners it was one of the last to harvest grapes each year. The fruit will now be picked earlier, and previous extraction techniques replaced by more traditional processes. The grand vin is matured in 60 percent new oak which is untoasted, to deliver a less overtly oaky style than before. Positive reports of the 2018 suggest the wine will become fresher with more mineral characters, while retaining a silky texture. Château Troplong Mondot was established in the late 1800s when Raymond-Theodore Troplong bought and expanded the Mondot estate.
