Mondot by Troplong Mondot 2020 - $80 each – Exactly what we all need to drink. If you don't know, now you know!

This sets out its stall as a wine from a specific plot of pure limestone soils straight away, and this is a second wine to savour. As with last year, this is a masterclass in the impact of this particular soil type JANE ANSON, Decanter

This beauty is medium to full-bodied, has an elegant, seamless mouthfeel, and a great finish. JEB DUNNUCK

2020 was a great vintage to continue the upward trajectory and unveiling of the new expression of this very special site at Troplong Mondot—and what an exhilarating ride this is! WILLIAM KELLEY

It's hard to think of any estate in contemporary Bordeaux that has witnessed a revolution more profound than that effected by Aymeric de Gironde at Troplong Mondot since his arrival here just after the 2017 harvest. The château itself sits at the peak of a dome of clay (known to geologists as molasses de l'Agenais) some 11-12 meters thick that has never been eroded away, and it's the vines that grow here that represent the heart of Troplong Mondot. These clays were compacted, so one of de Gironde's first initiatives was to work to undo that, ploughing by horse and employing cover crops. But Troplong's vineyards aren't limited to this dome: they encompass a range of altitudes from 40 to 110 meters above sea level, ranging onto the plateau toward the town of Saint-Émilion and almost to its edge to the south, obligating a broad window of harvesting dates, with greater attention paid to avoiding over-ripeness. Other evolutions have occurred in the winery and cellar: malolactic fermentation now completes in tank instead of in barrel; and the percentage of new oak is much reduced and, more importantly, less impactful in profile. All of which has brought new aromatic range and textural finesse and, above all, better balance to wines that, in trying to push the boundaries, in the past tended to exceed them. Having tasted Troplong Mondot back to 1959 over the years, I can attest that this site, well-farmed, is never going to produce light, ephemeral wines: power can be taken for granted. What's less self-evident is to render that power with finesse. The 2019 vintage demonstrates that de Gironde and his team are capable of doing just that. WINE ADVOCATE 

Troplong, what a modern Bordeaux success story. What a transformation, rejuvenation, reinvigoration, a bit hyperbolic? Sure, but all are true. From a producer who was renowned for their blockbuster, turbo charged, often four square wines with wood being prominent, even against that much fruit richness, to a Chateau who has now firmly focused in on the vineyard expression and a more fruitful style with a lighter, some would hesitantly say “elegant” model for the winemaking. All in a, relatively, short period.

Today the wines show opulence, a deep, plush, fulsome generosity but there is a verve, a certain joie de vivre, the freshness is as captivating as the depth and breadth of fruit.

It needed to happen, its prodigious terroir was being muddled by some unnecessary wine making influence. Today that couldn’t be further from the case. All of this is on full display here with Mondot in 2020. This is, in some ways, everything you want from a “second” wine, in so much as it has a real upfront pleasurability (yeah, pleasurability) but also, there is a bit more to it than that. I am not advocating to cellar this for an extended period of time BUT I am saying that there is a lot more substance to this wine than it being parcelled off as merely a second label, a little luncheon claret, though it is just that, a great bottle to drink now with some food.

There is another element to the story that perhaps gives a little credence to my previous statement about it being more than just a second label. The fruit here comes from a vineyard on limestone rich soils which adds that mineral edge, almost saltiness, it brings the perfume out too and enlivens the feel of the wine. The precursor to this single site expression was the estates desire to better understand their site, and so, quite recently, they split the plots from 20, to 51. However, this sub plot, I believe, is intended, one day, potentially, to become part of Troplong Mondot. Which I think, but may be wrong here (sometimes it’s very hard to get actual information out of these Chateau), is the case from 2022 vintage. So, while a second wine, for now, it is a vineyard rather than a declassification and one destined for great things.

A wine unencumbered by new wood, it’s a buoyant expression of St Emillon. Just so much to love here. The vivacity with which it strides along your palate, the plucking, faintly strict tannins, the succulence and generosity to the fruit, the perky, upbeat acidity, well, it forms a beautiful amalgamation that is impossible to pass up.

It’s gorgeous, it's inexpensive, it's going to make a lot of people happy over the next handful of years.

Here is one I am going to be blunt about in my final statement. Buy this if you like red wine. There can't be too many people out there who won't enjoy this, no matter your personal preferences of variety, style, or region. This is a winner on all fronts.