| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite, and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a powerful, full-bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy help of Michel Rolland. I'm not sure what the heady alcohol level is in Troplong Mondot in 2010 (it certainly must be in the 15%+ range), but it is well-concealed behind the extravagant, richness, full-bodied power, and pure nobility of this majestic wine. Forget this for 5-7 years and drink it over the following three decades.
What a nose. Gorgeous aromas of minerals, flowers and dark berries. Stunning. Full bodied, with a solid core of fruit and racy tannins. Citrusy finish too. Loving this
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Troplong Mondot explodes with beautiful floral notes of red roses and candied violets over a core of plum preserves, kirsch and blueberry pie with a waft of bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited, it has bags of plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing very long and sinfully hedonic. 2020 - 2045
Blackish crimson. Ruby rim. Light cocoa notes on the nose. Lots of sweet maltiness. Pushed to the limit of ripeness. Perfectly serviceable modern St-Émilion style but a little bit painful to taste at this stage. Slightly drying finish. Pushed too far?
A modern beauty. Still has deep colour, power and density but there seems to be more refinement these days. Rich, complex nose with cassis, cacao, spice and menthol notes. Sumptuous texture, balancing acidity and long, firm finish. Drink 2020-2035.
An amazing wine, the 2010 is right up there with the extraordinary quality of 2009, 2005 and 1990. Made from yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend was 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. A late harvest between October 4 and 16 with the last of the Cabernet Franc coming in on October 28 no doubt accounts for the wine's powerful 15.5% natural alcohol. Of course, the anti-alcohol folks will make a big deal of this, but despite the high alcohol levels in nearly every 2010, there is freshness, precision, definition and absolutely no heat in the wines whatsoever. This stunningly rich effort offers abundant blueberry, black raspberry, licorice and graphite notes intermixed with a hint of espresso roast, a seriously concentrated, super-intense mouthfeel, full-bodied power, a complex, multidimensional texture and a nearly 50-second finish. It will require 5-6 years of bottle age after its release and should keep for three decades or more. Just prodigious!
