2023 Troplong Mondot

Sporting a vivid purple hue, the 2023 Château Troplong Mondot is based on 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in 50% new French oak with the balance in once-used barrels and foudre. Cassis, spring flowers, crushed stone, and hints of tobacco all define the aromatics, and it has a truly riveting sense of limestone minerality and salinity. Medium-bodied and concentrated, with fine tannins and a great finish, it's a terrific representation of the new (or not so new today) style of this estate. It blossoms with time in the glass and is going to benefit from just 4-5 years of bottle age. It will keep for 30+ years in cold cellars. Drink 2029-2059.

The 2023 Troplong Mondot is one of the truly great wines of 2023. Translucent and also quite powerful, the 2023 screams with class. It's a wine that beautifully reconciles expression of place, vintage and the house style that has been in place since 2017. It's one of the finest wines made here over the last decade, a real rockstar. Graphite, spice, mocha and dried herbs build into the huge, dense finish. Tasted two times.

The 2023 Troplong Mondot has a very well-defined bouquet with quite mineral-driven blackberry and strawberry fruit, incense and light bay leaf aromas. Very focused and terroir-driven. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry, finely chiselled tannins, a silver thread of acidity with a touch of allspice and white pepper on the tender finish. This is more open than the '22 at this stage and will oblige less time in bottle. Excellent.