2018 - Troplong Mondot, Saint-Emilion

The 2018 Troplong Mondot is deep garnet-colored. It hops playfully from the glass with notes of juicy plums, fresh blueberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of cinnamon stick, allspice, and lilacs. Full-bodied, vivacious, and refreshing, the palate delivers plush tannins and bags of bright fruit, finishing with great length and a real skip in its step.

The 2018 Troplong Mondot will take readers who haven't tasted these wines in a few years aback. Stunning in its aromatic presence, the 2018 is silky, medium-in body and super-refined. Once again, I am blown away by the wine's total sense o

A powerful vintage, making this a real test of the 'new regime' at Troplong. You can feel the power struggle between rich ripe fruit, liqourice and cocoa bean against fresher strands of eucalyptus, rosemary, turmeric and sage, and the push-and-pull of this combat makes for a fascinating wine. Delivers shape and momentum, and brings in a much-needed shot of fresh mint and aloe juice on the finish. A wine with power, impact and architecture, buoyed up rather than weighed down by tannic structure and ripe fruit. 60% new oak, Thomas Duclos consultant.

A powerful vintage, making this a real test of the 'new regime' at Troplong. You can feel the power struggle between rich ripe fruit, liqourice and cocoa bean against fresher strands of eucalyptus, rosemary, turmeric and sage, and the push-and-pull of thi

The 2018 Troplong Mondot takes its time to unfold; this particular sample was afforded 90 minutes to open. It then reveals its exquisitely defined bouquet of black cherries, shucked oyster shells and black currant leaf. It is transparent, almost Burgundian in style. The palate is beautifully defined with fine-boned tannins and wonderful tension and mineralité. You can feel the limestone terroir percolating through this Saint-Émilion, and it retains captivating spiciness on the almost crystalline finish. This is one of the finest Troplongs in recent years, and it has a long and prosperous future ahead.

The 2018 Troplong Mondot takes its time to unfold; this particular sample was afforded 90 minutes to open. It then reveals its exquisitely defined bouquet of black cherries, shucked oyster shells and black currant leaf. It is transparent, almost Burgundia

Vivid plum fruit with black cherry with a baked edge but incredible freshness and wonderfully charming persistence. Very smooth-coated. Feathery tannins, full body, ripe and garrulous. Long, flamboyant – pure pleasure. (RH)

Vivid plum fruit with black cherry with a baked edge but incredible freshness and wonderfully charming persistence. Very smooth-coated. Feathery tannins, full body, ripe and garrulous. Long, flamboyant – pure pleasure. (RH)

Yield 45 hl/ha.Refined, elegant, excellent balance between the soft red- and black-fruit character, concentration on the mid palate, bright acidity and fine-grained tannins. Not at all hot or overblown, this needs five years but should be a very fine Trop

Black almost to the rim. Smells dark-fruited, ripe and warmly generous but also has a counterpoint of rocky minerality. Ripe and nicely earthy but no overripeness and an open, scented purity. Succulent and mouth-wateringly moreish, with the tannins adding

Tasted blind. Weaker crimson than most. Sweet and bloody on the palate – one of the wines that most resembles the pre-Rolland (winemaker) St-Émilions. Not exaggerated and offering lots of sweet fruit. Good balance and length. (JR)