2022 Troplong Mondot

The 2022 Troplong Mondot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and blackberries mingled with notions of licorice, rose petals, incense and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge mid-palate volume, superb integration and an ineffable sense of completeness. This site always delivers power, but I've never tasted a Troplong that's simultaneously quite so powerful or quite so harmonious and suave. Concluding with a broad, violet-inflected finish, the 2022 represents the essence of this remarkable site.

Hyper precision from the crushed-stone minerality here, with berries, spiced dark cherries, hibiscus and fresh plums. Extremely polished, caressing yet vivid, with fibrous, chalky tannins emitting vibrations before dissolving into a lengthy finish drenched with fruit. Concentrated but effortless. Already alluring but better in 3-4 years.

I was able to taste the 2022 Château Troplong Mondot on two separate occasions, and it never failed to impress. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc, it was raised in 55% new oak, with the balance in once-used barrels and foudre. It's an incredibly pure, precise, seamless Saint-Emilion that has vibrant black raspberry and darker cherry fruits as well as hints of graphite, spring flowers, and damp earth. This medium to full-bodied, layered, nicely concentrated 2022 has polished tannins, a lively spine of acidity, and flawless overall balance. It's the finest vintage I've tasted at this château since the 2015.