Fragt kr. 49,- Fri fragt v/ køb over kr. 1999
Château Troplong Mondot ligger som en majestætisk bastion på det højeste punkt i Saint-Émilion og har i årtier været kendt for sin kraftfulde og karakterfaste stil. Slottet har rødder tilbage til det 18. århundrede, men det var særligt under ledelse af Christine Valette, at ejendommen for alvor satte sig tungt i Bordeaux-historien. Hendes dedikation og dybe forståelse for terroiret spillede en afgørende rolle i, at Troplong Mondot blev klassificeret som Premier Grand Cru Classé B i 2006.
Efter hendes bortgang i 2014 begyndte et nyt kapitel, hvor ambitionerne ikke blev mindre – men stilen ændrede sig markant. Den nye ejer, det franske forsikringsselskab SCOR, ansatte Aymeric de Gironde som direktør (tidligere Château Cos d’Estournel) og indførte en omfattende modernisering. Konsulenten Thomas Duclos blev tilknyttet, og sammen har de revitaliseret Troplong Mondots udtryk. Målet: at finde en ny balance mellem kraft og elegance.
Stilen i dag er væsentligt mere præget af friskhed, finesse og terroirets kalkrige kompleksitet. Der arbejdes med tidligere høst, mindre ekstraktion og lavere andel af ny eg. I 2021 stod et topmoderne vineri klar – diskret indpasset i landskabet – og markerede kulminationen på et transformationsprojekt, der har givet slottet ny vitalitet og international hæder.
Vinene fra Troplong Mondot fremstår i dag som nogle af de mest spændstige og nuancerede i appellationen. Kombinationen af højtliggende marker, kalkstensjord og moderne præcision giver vine, der både har dybde og en næsten silkeagtig tekstur. De ældre årgange hyldes for deres struktur og rigdom, mens de nye årgange er en sand demonstration af, hvordan et klassisk slot kan genopfinde sig selv uden at miste sin sjæl.
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BEPLANTNING
Merlot 90%, Cabernet Franc 5%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%
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AREAL
24 hektar
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SLOTTETS ANDEN VIN
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EJER
Christne Valette-Parienté
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LINK
The 2020 Troplong Mondot may prove to be even better than the brilliant 2019, and it is one of the Right Bank's finest wines in this vintage. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of mulberries, blackberries and red cherries mingled with hints of rose petal, licorice and exotic spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a satiny attack that segues into a vibrant, polished mid-palate, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Having seen only 65% new oak and with malolactic fermentation completed in tank rather than in barrel, it's remarkably pure and seamless. With the 2020 vintage, this estate's stylistic redemption appears to be complete.
The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power, but without the excess weight of the past. Even so, the 2020 is a big, big wine that needs the better part of a decade to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is there, but buffered by vibrant acids and tons of supporting minerality. Harvest started on September 5 and finished on October 8, a very wide window for the Right Bank, and a reminder of how different the parcels are. The 2020 was done in 60% new oak, 12% foudres 28% once-used barrels.
A clear step up over the 2019, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is mostly Merlot yet includes 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, all of which was raised in 65% new French oak, with the balance in once-used barrels. The level of purity and finesse here is remarkable, and it reveals a deep ruby/purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of cassis, ripe black cherries, graphite, gunpowder, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has building, perfectly ripe tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Certainly light years away from the riper, more opulent style of the 2000's, the wines today under consultant Thomas Duclos are much more about finesse and elegance. While I certainly miss the sexy, riper style of the past, there is no denying the incredible quality from this château today.