2015 La Mondotte

The 2015 La Mondotte has a slight dustiness on the nose and is missing the same freshness as its peers. This needs more presence. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, an appealing fleshy texture and a sweet core of blood orange-infused black fruit segueing into a light chocolaty finish. Again, it needs another two or three years. Perhaps this bottle was a little off-color? Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting at Farr Vintners.

The 2015 La Mondotte is more backward and closed on the nose with quite lush black cherry and cassis fruit, very concentrated but nicely focused with no sign of over maturity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, but there is firm grip with a precise, mineral-driven finish that is a pure joy. Deeply impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Very dark crimson. Firm and fine. Nice smooth texture without any sign of overripeness. Good freshness and seems energetic. Nice wine – well resolved and not especially dramatic. (I seem to be describing what it isn’t…!) (JR)