Chateau La Mondotte 2019

JEB DUNNUCK: "A gorgeous wine, yet one that's going to demand bottle age, the 2019 La Mondotte comes from a tiny vineyard located just beside Pavie Decesse and is always a blend of mostly Merlot with roughly 15-30% Cabernet Franc, brought up in new French oak. Mulled blackcurrants, darker cherries, tobacco leaf, chocolate, lead pencil, and burning ember-like nuances all emerge from this brilliant wine, and it's full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, with good acidity, building tannins, and a great, great finish. It holds onto the more classic, focused style of the vintage, yet it's a beast of a wine that brings the goods. Hide bottles for a solid 7-8 years or more, count yourself lucky, and it's going to have 30-40 years of longevity."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart floral unterlegte reife Herzkischfrucht, mineralischer Touch, ein Hauch von Edelholz und kandierten Orangenzesten. Saftig, reife Kirschen, rotbeerige Nuancen, seidige Tannine, ungemein finessenreiche Struktur, salzige Nuancen, besitzt einen delikaten, fast pomerolhaften Charakter, bleibt lange haften, bereits sehr verführerisch, ein Wein voller Charme und Klasse."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This has a fragrant nose of blackberries, red tea, cloves, bark, orange zest and dark chocolate. Sandalwood and tile, too. Full-bodied with chewy yet supple tannins and fresh acidity. Seamless and rich. Long and muscular."

WEINWISSER: "79 % Merlot, 21 % Cabernet Franc, 51 hl/ha. Undurchsichtiges, fast schwarzes Purpur. Konzentriertes Bouquet nach Wildkirschen, dahinter viel Cassiswürze und Zwetschgenröster. Im zweiten Ansatz exotische Hölzer, Lakritze und ein Strauss Veilchen. Am kraftvollen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und forderndem Tanningerüst, eine unbändige Kraftmaschine mit reifem Extrakt und genial stützender Rasse, die ihm eine (fast) magische Finesse verleiht. Im gebündelten, nicht enden wollenden Finale eine Explosion mit Heidelbeeren, Schlehengelee, Kakaopulver und tiefgründiger Mineralik. Das ist ein La Mondotte für die Ewigkeit. Hat mich einen Tick weniger berührt als Canon La Gaffèliere!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deep in color, the wine is equally deep on the palate. Opening with an intense display of flowers and potpourri, the wine quickly moves to show off the remainder of its aromatic profile that includes, spice-box, licorice, chocolate infused cherries, mint leaf and black plums. Full-bodied, rich, intense and opulent, the finish lingers on the palate, providing a backdrop for all of its opulent, ripe, vibrant fruits and crushed stones. Drink from 2026-2055.

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is a gorgeous display of fruit, with boysenberry, fig and mulberry notes rolling through, showing both muscle and refinement as they carry a punch, while staying silky and lush in feel. There are sweet tobacco, sous bois and black tea flavors peeking in on the finish and this is remarkably fine-grained for the vintage. A clear classic. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040. 1,700 cases made, 140 cases imported."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of smoky blackberries, black truffles, pipe tobacco, loamy soil and rose petals introduce the 2019 La Mondotte, a medium to full-bodied, deep and velvety wine that's lively and gourmand, with a rich core of fruit that's framed by beautifully polished tannins. This Merlot-dominant cuvée derives from vineyards on the plateau neighboring Troplong-Mondot, but the soils are shallower here, without the same reserves of deep clay."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 La Mondotte is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with notes of stewed plums, blueberry preserves, and Chinese five spice with hints of sandalwood and star anise. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-filling, spicy black fruit preserves with a velvety texture and lifted finish."

DECANTER: "A powerful punch of inky black and blue fruits to the attack, the charm of this steals up on your slowly, with liquorice and bitter black chocolate coming in from the mid palate onwards as the tannins start to relax. There are floral aromatics here also, if you give them time. An extremely well made, carefully controlled and well held together wine that sits comfortably at the top of the classified range, confident of earning its place. 70% new oak. A yield of 51hl/ha."