2007 La Mondotte

Good full ruby-red. Pungent aromas of kirsch, plum, minerals, coffee, mocha and smoky oak. Rich, plush and sweet but not heavy; in fact, this dense and highly concentrated wine's energy comes as a surprise in light of its full ripeness. Finishes very long and sweet, with broad tannins and a vibrant minerality.

Tiny yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare and a typical blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc (14.5% natural alcohol) have resulted in a soft, plump, 1997-ish (which is drinking brilliantly) wine. It offers an inky/purple color, plenty of sweet mulberry and boysenberry fruit intermixed with hints of espresso and toast, and a textured, full-bodied, fleshy mouthfeel. There is lots of succulence for a 2007, and this soft, delicious St.-Emilion should drink nicely for 15+ years.

Deep ruby-red. Brooding aromas of black fruits, licorice and minerals, with a whiff of game. Dense and rich, with a suppler texture than the 2006 showed at the same stage (the pH of 3.6 is high for this cool, late-ripening site, noted owner Stephan von Neipperg, who added that the "chalk wines" of 2006 show less ripeness than in 2007). Finishes broad and long, with fine-grained but serious tannins. Here's a vintage of Mondotte that will not require an interminable wait.