Chateau Troplong Mondot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2013

Château Troplong Mondot sits on the Mondot hill, one of the highest points of the Saint-Émilion plateau, with around 33 hectares of vines in a single block on clay and limestone. The Valette family owned the estate from 1936, and from the 1980s Christine Valette made it one of the leading names of the Right Bank; it was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 2006. 2013 was the last vintage she oversaw before her death in 2014, and in 2017 the estate passed to new owners.

2013 was a difficult year in Bordeaux: a cold, wet spring was followed by a hot, dry summer, and only careful sorting gave clean, ripe fruit. The wine shows small black fruits, blueberry and plum on the nose, moving towards fresh menthol and white pepper, with mocha, tobacco and toasty oak in the background. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with fine, firm tannins and a mineral finish typical of Saint-Émilion's clay-limestone soils. Drinking well now and through the early 2030s; decant for an hour or two before serving. Pairs well with roast lamb with herbs, duck breast, mushroom risotto and hard cheeses.

90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Matured in new oak barrels. James Suckling 93/100, Wine Enthusiast 93/100, Jeff Leve 92/100, Wine Spectator 90/100.