Chateau Troplong Mondot, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 1990

Overview of the Wine
Château Troplong Mondot is a Saint-Émilion property that epitomizes the classic characteristics of this dynamic and rich terroir.  This estate exists very much within a class of its own and has captivated the minds of viticultural giants within the wine industry due to its close proximity to great neighbors like Château Pavie.  The property has been in possession of titans like the Thienponts, the Valettes and the de Seze families – all well respected vignerons and négociants who have overseen operations at iconic estates such as Château Vieux Château Certan.  There is undeniably something very special about this Right Bank estate, and it was ranked a Saint-Émilion Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class B property – one of the highest of honors.  

Château Troplong Mondot hosts a history that is about as rich as its terroir.  Origins of the estate date back to the 17th Century, when it was owned by Abbe Raymond de Seze, who built the château on its stunning grounds.  The de Seze family were already well established within the wine world, and they owned Château Troplong Mondot for one hundred years.  The property was then purchased by Raymond Troplong, who gave the estate its namesake and increased the size of the vineyard holdings to what they are today.  Château Troplong Mondot eventually was acquired by the legendary Thienpont family, who oversaw operations at the estate for a long time, but it wasn’t until the estate was purchased by Christine Valette that Château Troplong Mondot really began its meteoric rise in quality.

Christine Valette was a wonderful, kind, smart and savvy woman who started managing the property in 1980.  She made a series of sweeping changes to the estate, such as switching everything over to manual harvesting, lowering yields, and removing the copious amounts of Malbec vines that were planted over the grounds.  Christine also changed the cellars at Château Troplong Mondot, like adding temperature controlled, stainless-steel tanks in the vat room.  It was only a mere matter of time before critics started to take notice of the increased quality of the grand vin coming from this estate.  The property was classified as one of the Premiere Grand Crus Classés properties in Saint-Émilion in 2006, and the vintages released during Christine’s tenure at the estate were considered some of the most profound of all time.  Tragically, Christine passed away but her legacy at the estate lives on.

Today, the property is managed by the French insurance company SOCR.  A massive renovation was done to the cellars, and it was completed as of 2020.  The 37 hectare vineyard is planted with a mixture of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon which thrive in the limestone soil.  The majority of the vines are 35 years old, but there are some parcels where the plantings are close to 100 years old.  The wine from Château Troplong Mondot is formidable, richly concentrated and possess an almost exotic undercurrent in terms of character.  It is recommended one give their bottle of grand vin just a little bit of time for it to reveal all of its complexities. 

Biodynamic

Winemaker
Aymeric de Gironde

Grape / Blend
85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc

Origin
Pomerol, Bordeuax, France

Tasting Notes
1er Grand Cru Classé B from Saint-Émilion, produces an exceptional wine made mainly from Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Grown on a variety of terroirs at an altitude of 110 meters, it is aged in oak barrels (75% new wood) for up to 24 months. This wine, La robe deep, reveals aromas of blackcurrant, licorice and spices, and offers great concentration and ageing potential of 40-50 years.

98 Points - Wine Advocate
A fabulous example, the 1990 Troplong Mondot is only equaled by such recent vintages as 2000, 2005, and 2008. The inky/garnet/plum/purple-colored 1990 exhibits notes of coffee, blackberries, licorice, camphor, and espresso. Rich and full-bodied with lavish fruit, high glycerin, low acidity, and stunning purity... 

95 Points - Wine Spectator
A blockbuster. Amazing. I love Port, and this is close. Dark color. Very, very ripe on the nose. Full-bodied and very chewy, with loads of fruit and concentration in tannins. Mouthpuckering. Needs time. 

94 Points - Falstaff
Dark ruby garnet with a lightly ochre rim. An intense nose of dried fruit, with an almost port-like spice, some bitter chocolate and herbal notes. It's very full-bodied on the palate with an almost oily texture. It's sweet and powerful, carried by essential acidity. The super-concentrated style has some nougat texture and lingers for a long time - clearly a wine with great reserves, with many years ahead of it. 

Product size: 750ml