2015 Château Troplong-Mondot

The 2015 Troplong Mondot has a delightful, well-defined and focused bouquet. The new oak is seamlessly integrated, with blackcurrant, raspberry coulis , light cedar and orange blossom aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, gentle grip and just a touch of wild mint with a dash of white pepper. This has very fine persistence, freshness and tension. The 2015 is a superb Saint-Émilion. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting.

This captures the exuberance of Troplong in the Xavier Pariente years. Visually it captures the natural power of these soils, with vivid violet plum colour, and beautiful liquorice root and cocoa bean, but it opens to show fig and prune fruits, given balance by bitter fennel and aniseed on the finish. The alcohol is evident, and it overpowers the clearly concentrated body of the wine. Still young - if you can bear to wait, check in after another half decade. 85% new oak. Michel Rolland consultant.

An opposite style to the 2014: much more reticent on the nose. The palate has primary fruit that reveals the power and purity of Troplong, but everything else is in lockdown. Super-fine tannins – very sophisticated. Tar and dark chocolate on the finish. Deserves a full period of maturation to open up. (RH)