CHÂTEAU TROPLONG MONDOT

Good medium ruby. Knockout nose offers superripe dark fruits, mocha, minerals, crushed rock, smoked meat and graphite. Dense, sweet, layered and deep; this saturates every square millimeter of the mouth with black fruit, mineral and chocolate flavors. Finishes with huge but thoroughly ripe tannins and great palate-staining persistence. This extraordinary wine no doubt helped this chateau earn a promotion to premier grand cru classe status, and its very strong effort in 2006-not to mention the quality of its terroir-proves that Troplong-Mondot belongs among the top properties of Saint-Emilion. (May/June 2007) Rating: 95-96 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 2007)

The nose lacks its usual opulence, quite restrained with blackberry and morello cherry. The palate has a huge extraction, massive grip with a toasty blackberry mid-palate. Lacking a little finesse and sophistication, I was rather underwhelmed by this Troplong, one of my favorite Saint Emilion wines. I am sure another sample would have tasted better. Rating: 19? Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2006)

This is the most spectacular young vintage of Troplong-Mondot I've tasted to date. Cellarmaster Jean-Pierre Taleyson, who started working here in 1985, calls it the best in 30 years. (90% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon) Saturated dark ruby. Superripe aromas of black cherry and black raspberry liqueur, molasses and licorice; smells like a boiled-down essence of black fruits. Then massive and dense, with great sucrosity yet almost magical freshness. Flavors of berry liqueur, minerals and dark chocolate. This has a wonderfully fine-grained texture and great finesse for a wine of this sheer scale. The explosive, building back-end flavors saturate every millimeter of the palate without coming across as the least bit heavy. Tannins are huge but broad and noble. This has the stuffing to last for two or three decades. As of early April, no press wine had been added to the blend. Rating: 93-96 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 2006)

A reconstruction of the great 1990 vintage, perhaps even with greater body and ageing potential. Marvellous truffle scent, huge body, noble tannins able to compete with the best first growths, and super-precise and harmonious balance. Great wine. Drink from 2017. Rating: *****/19 www.decanter.com (May 2006)

Aromas of blackberry, toasted oak and vanilla. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. So velvety. Seductive. Rating: 92-94 James Suckling, The Wine Spectator (May 2006)

Dark purple. Rather savoury and dense. Lots of voluptuous fruit and heady, tarry flavours with a strong liquorice element and pretty dry tannins but there is beguiling silky fruit in the middle. Someone here has run with the concept that this is an exceptional vintage and the wine deserves to be exceptional in style but it's not a trial to taste or drink! Clean, brisk finish. 2014-26 Rating: 17+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2006)

A blockbuster effort from proprietress Christine Valette (who also deserves congratulations for Troplong Mondot?s ascent to a St.-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe, currently suspended pending litigation), this full-bodied, multi-tiered 2005 continues to confirm its extraordinary dimensions and quality. It is unquestionably the finest vintage for Troplong since 1990. A modern day legend, it exhibits a black/blue color as well as aromas and flavors of graphite, blueberries, black truffles, incense, and camphor. The sensational sweetness and layers of fruit are buttressed by high tannin, good acidity, and unbelievable precision and purity. This profoundly concentrated, full-bodied tour de force in winemaking is Madame Valette?s crowning achievement, and it will be talked about for decades to come. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040. Rating: 96-100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (May 2006)