2012 Château Troplong-Mondot
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Tasting notes
Rich and exuberant on the nose with masses of ripe fruit. This is typically big in style with a lot of alcohol, but it is balanced and there is plenty of acidity to match the ripeness of fruit. Complete. FINE+RARE
Critic scores
James Suckling
FINE+RARE
More reviews and scores
Olive, cassis, black cherry, leathery and cedar – this is classic claret with so much to love. It has crunch in both acid and tannin – and fruit, in fact. Beautifully open and persistent. Almost as good as their 2010, but much more ready for drinking now. (RH)
The 2012 Troplong Mondot has a fragrant bouquet with black cherry, cough candy and touches of marmalade, not complex but vigorous and fresh. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bone-structure and good acidity. Some expressive Cabernet Franc lends a Left Bank tincture on the spicy, black pepper-tinged finish. Classy, but not sure about its longevity. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
Black cherry and damson, the tannins are powerful but letting some light in at this point, although this is still significantly more oaked than many 2012s that you will find. Enjoyable, bodes well for the future if given another five or six years in bottle, dominated by aniseed, fennel, bitter black chocolate, ripe damson puree, crayon. Eucalyptus and mint offer a welcome breath of fresh air on the finish. 100% new oak, Michel Rolland consultant.
About the producer
This estate – promoted in 2006 to Premier Grand Cru Classé B – is perched at the highest point in Saint-Emilion. Aymeric de Gironde has been managing the property since 2017 and guided it to new heights.