| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The very well situated Troplong Mondot vineyard of 33 hectares contains 85% Merlot with 2% Cabernet Franc and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon (high for St Emilion). This château used to produce concentrated St Emilions under the control of consultant wine-maker Michel Rolland and his team. The black coloured wines made here were not for those who prefer the more classic, subtle style of St Emilion but were popular with certain American critics. However, the property was sold in the summer of 2017 and Aymeric de Gironde (formerly of Pichon Baron and Cos d'Estournel) was brought in by the new owners to take charge. The new winemaking consultant is Thomas Duclos who also advises Canon. There have been massive and revolutionary changes here, as we expected, with picking at a much earlier date and all the manipulative extraction techniques abandoned in favour of more traditional winemaking. Aymeric is to be applauded for his radical restyling of Troplong Mondot into a classic and pure St Emilion. The 2019, 2020 and 2022 produced here are undoubted stars of the vintage that have rightly been highly praised and scored by the leading critics.
The 2025 vintage is being matured in 50% new oak, 40% foudre and 10% second year oak. The yield was 27 hl/ha and the grapes spent a night in a five degree cold room on arrival at the winery 13.9% ABV. The harvest started on August 28th and continued for four weeks.
Picked between August 28 and September 25 (surely one of the broadest ranges in Bordeaux this year, but logical considering the estate's different altitudes and aspects), the 2025 Troplong Mondot is one of the wines of the vintage. Exhibiting a deep bouquet of blackberries and plums complemented by floral accents of lilac, iris and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and dense, with a brooding core of fruit girdled by bright acids and sweet but abundant tannins. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, it will rival the 2022, though in vintage signature the two years are very different.
The 2025 Troplong Mondot is raised in 50% new oak, 40% foudres and 10% in one-year-old barrels. It has a very intense bouquet with black cherries, cassis and iris flower scents, and a hint of inkwell. Very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins, plenty of tension and minéralité. Vivacious and yet linear and correct, it delivers plenty of fruit but in a very controlled fashion. You can feel the tongue tingling on the finish. Classy and sophisticated, this will rank as one of the finest Troplong Mondots to date. Drink 2032-2055.
Troplong needs a little air and vigorous swirling to reveal its full potential - they are protecting with some CO2 in elevage which needs a few minutes to dissipate. Once opened up, there is a ripe array of red fruits and cream, subtle integrated wood spice, and a general redolent sweetness to this wine. The palate is the same, the vineyards' natural power giving supple cherry and forest fruit flavours but the early pick and careful use of wood meaning there is energy from acidity and salty spice. Velveteen in texture, with a sappy moreish quality, this is generous but not overdone, and with full elevage it should get even better. Another excellent showcase of Aymeric de Gironde's vision to tame the raw power of this estate.
A very structured wine with blackberry, hazelnut, dark chocolate, violet and some black licorice aromas. Full-bodied but in a reserved way, with super framing of the fine tannins. Elegant and structured. Fun to taste. 13.9% alcohol. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon and 2% cabernet sauvignon.
Intensity and power, deep cassis and bilberry fruit, very much in character of this unusual, singular site, olive pit and wet stones, drawn out and slow crawl through the palate, rooted to its sense of place and an extremely impressive wine. Harvest August 28, earliest ever, until September 25, so almost exactly one months. 70m altitude of difference between the lowest and highest part of the Troplong vineyard. 27hl/ha yield (particularly impacted by the heat of the early August wave). 3.43 pH, Aymeric de Gironde director. 2030-2042.
The 2025 Troplong Mondot is one of the most finessed wines I have ever tasted here. Dark, ample and explosive, with mind-blowing purity, the 2025 simply has it all. Hints of dried herbs, chocolate, menthol, licorice and blackberry infuse the wine with remarkable concentration and pure power. Even with all its natural richness, the 2025 is not at all heavy. A totally stunning Saint-Émilion, Troplong Mondot is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Harvest started on August 28 (the earliest ever) and wrapped up nearly a month later on September 25, which illustrates how diverse the terroirs are here. Aging was in 50% new oak, 40% 20HL foudre and 10% once-filled barrels. Tasted two times. 2035 - 2075
