Ch.Troplong Mondot 2018 ex-ch 750ml

Wine Advocate #End of March, Mar 31, 2021 by Lisa Perotti-Brown
The 2018 Troplong Mondot is blended of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, with 15% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, with considerable coaxing and swirling it slowly emerges from the glass like a waking giant, building to a towering bouquet of preserved plums, blueberry pie and Morello cherries with gentler wafts of violets, star anise, fruitcake and cast-iron pan. The concentrated, full-bodied palate possesses impressive purity and brightness of fruit commingled with richer, riper elements and supported by firm, velvety tannins, finishing with lovely freshness and on a lingering ferrous note. It's a wine that's not just delicious, it's seriously interesting too.

In the 17th century, the vineyard belonged to the Abbé Raymond de Sèze, who built the chateau as it stands today in 1745. The Sèze family was one of the most prestigious of the Bordeaux area's landed gentry and owned many other estates. It was particularly illustrious in providing Louis XVI with his personal lawyer, Raymond de Sèze. Under the aegis of the Abbé, Mondot won its place among the best Saint Emilion wines.
In 1850, Raymond Troplong took over Mondot and turned it into the 33-hectares estate, unchanged to this very day. A peer, a famous jurist and a lover of art and literature, he became president of the Senate in 1852 and held this office until his death in 1869. In spite of his state duties, he operated the rich Mondot estate with remarkable success, producing a highly prized wine classed by the renowned Annuaire des Châteaux de Féret as Saint-Emilion's second finest wine in 1868. Edouard Troplong, his nephew and successor, added the name Troplong to the estate before he sold it.
The château entered the modern age with the Valette family. Alexandre Valette, a Parisian vintner, bought the estate crafted by Raymond Troplong. He already owned Château La France in Fronsac and would soon acquire Château Pavie. In 1980 Alexandreâ??s great grand daughter, Christine, took over the estate and was joined, 10 years later, by her husband, Xavier Pariente. Together they continued to improve and embellish the vineyard, cellar and chateau. This hard work and their efforts proved worthwhile when in 2006 Troplong Mondot was awarded 1er Grand Cru Classé status.

Meats, Beef and Venison