Chateau Troplong Mondot - Mondot de Troplong 2020
Price: $39.96
| Producer | Chateau Troplong Mondot |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | St. Emilion |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Sku | 602299 |
| Size | 750ml |
A major shift at Troplong Mondot came in 2017 when new ownership and director Aymeric de Gironde refocused the estate toward terroir transparency: less extraction, less new oak, and greater freshness. That evolution is especially clear in Mondot, which since 2018 has come from its own dedicated vineyard parcel — not a traditional second wine, but a separate expression of the plateau.
Made entirely from Merlot grown on limestone, the 2019 opens with fragrant plum, peony, rose and redcurrant layered with wet slate and gentle spice. On the palate the limestone shows itself with chalky tannins and a slightly austere, slate-y raspberry character, yet the wine is juicy and refreshing rather than austere and firm.
When we tasted this at the château it was exactly that which stood out, the elegance: its texture felt closer to the soft accessibility of a Grand Cru in Burgundy perhaps an Echézeaux rather than to the broader structure often expected from Saint-Émilion.
Vinified largely in stainless steel with a portion aged in once-used barrels, the élevage preserves aromatic clarity and minerality rather than adding weight. The result is Merlot that feels vertical and soil-driven: dense yet fresh, polished yet full of personality — a style that pairs naturally with earthy dishes, like the Château recommends, truffle omelet.
