CHÂTEAU TROPLONG MONDOT

2020 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion

EN PRIMEUR

Market Insight: Troplong released a wonderful 2019 and the pricing was at the top end of accurate, given that the 2010 is £620+/6 and of a similar quality. If there's a repeat, then this will be a good buy, if the quality rises further, it will be an absolute must.L&S (May 2021)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

Love this wine, which conveys real personality, majoring on blueberry, raspberry and redcurrant fruits, with a great whack of salinity on the finish. This really comes in strong on slate and salted tang, a delicious second wine with the punch and the power of Troplong but showcasing the finesse of limestone soils. Harvest September 5 to October 3. Not released En Primeur, just when in bottle. Aged in 60% neutral barrel, 40% in stainless steel. Beautiful spice here, real depth with extra creaminess as it has opened up since En Primeur. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Aug 2023)

A soft and round red with plum and milk chocolate. Hazelnuts. Full-bodied and layered. Juicy. Hints of sea salt. Power is there. Turns firm and vivid. So attractive now. Savory. Needs three to four years to open. Drink after 2027. Rating: 97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)

The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power, but without the excess weight of the past. Even so, the 2020 is a big, big wine that needs the better part of a decade to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is there, but buffered by vibrant acids and tons of supporting minerality. Harvest started on September 5 and finished on October 8, a very wide window for the Right Bank, and a reminder of how different the parcels are. The 2020 was done in 60% new oak, 12% foudres 28% once-used barrels. Drinking range: 2030 - 2060 Rating: 98 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)

The 2020 Troplong Mondot has a limpid dark hue. The bouquet is intense with black cherries, red plum, Earl Grey and very subtle floral scents, a mixture of peony and violet. The palate is medium-bodied with very pliant tannins, fine acidity, taut and fresh. With moderate depth, this Troplong possesses impressive salinity, a little powdery texture towards the finish, with a gentle but insistent grip. Black fruit dominates here, chalky and terroir-driven, so you can feel the terroir tingling on the aftertaste. Quite a "serious" Saint-Émilion, it will require half a dozen or so years to show what it is capable of. NB A decanted bottle had more "pixelation" on the finish. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)

The 2020 Troplong Mondot is another strong showing from the estate under the direction of Aymeric de Gironde. Exotic and voluptuous, the 2020 is endowed with terrific depth and plenty of layers that unfold over time. Raspberry jam, cloves, kirsch and lavender all flesh out beautifully in the glass. Troplong Mondot has been exceptionally fine since 2017, when the new team headed by de Gironde took over and began to focus on giving the Grand Vin more energy. In the 2020, though, I see less of the vibrancy and brilliance that has defined the new style at Troplong. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2035 - 2050 Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)

The 2020 Troplong Mondot was tasted from two samples, both directly from the estate, but with two prelèvements because Aymeric de Gironde was not content with the showing of the first. Indeed, the second, which was tasted the following day (yes, bottles arrived quickly) did show slightly better, even if there was not an enormous difference. It has a deep garnet hue, yet the nose is initially backward and demands about an hour to really open and say what it wants to say. The nuanced bouquet features a mixture of red and black fruit, touches of iris flower, sea spray and a touch of Earl Grey. This is typical of the more elegant, terroir-driven style introduced under Aymeric de Gironde. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit, cranberry and raspberry mixed with truffle and a pinch of sea salt. The acidity is well judged and it conveys palpable energy on the finish. This is a delicious and characterful Saint-Émilion, fresh and vibrant, that will fill out and gain depth during its barrel maturation. Excellent. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

I’d wager the finest vintage here since the 2015, then the 2009, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc. It offers a dense purple hue as well as powerful, unevolved aromas and flavors of pure crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco. Coming from the highest elevation vineyard in the appellation and deeper, clay soils (which excelled in 2020), it’s medium to full-bodied and has a dense, thick mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s not for the instant gratification crowd out there, but it’s going to be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to the team at Troplong Mondot as well as oenologist Thomas Duclos. Rating: 96-98 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

This sets out its stall as a wine from a specific plot of pure limestone soils straight away, and this is a second wine to savour. As with last year, this is a masterclass in the impact of this particular soil type, with a bright violet colour, juicy blueberry fruits and touches of redcurrant. It has a tingling finish with a whoosh of salinity that gives tension and balance. 30% aged in barrels, the rest stays in stainless steel. 3.53pH. Still 100% Merlot as last year, but that will probably change in 2021 when some Cabernet Franc should be added. Not sold as an En Primeur, the 2018 has just been released onto the market. September 4 was the first day of picking. Drinking range: 2024 - 2036 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

This has superb depth and intensity with very fine tannins that draw you down. So much black fruit, together with black pepper and salt. Extremely well crafted. Vertical and deep. Chalky and salty with black chocolate. Rating: 98-99 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2021)

85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
60% new oak for between 14-16 months
14.5% alc
3.53 pH
Harvest took place between 3rd – 30th September in two distinct tranches totalling 12 days.
This mercurial vintage seems like a particularly good fit for Troplong Mondot. Aymeric de Gironde’s parcel by parcel, plot by plot, step by step philosophy is paying great dividends and with a new, spectacular winery up and running and a panoramic tasting room all but completed, their timing could not be better – I only hope that they will be able to welcome visitors before too long. With their stylish, layering of fruit, seen through a tri-varietal lens, differing soil types, altitude and orientation, this is a truly kaleidoscopic wine. The nose is brooding, fleshly and wild, with carefree hints of hedgerow berries and flowers as well as deeply exotic tones of spice and musk. They started picking here on the 4th September, then stopped for a while before the Cabernets and one plot of Merlot came in on the 30th of the month – just in the nick of time before the rain came in. This spread of harvesting seems to have locked in stunning freshness (and an impressively low pH) which is countered by the expansive and profound flavours found on the palate. The tannins are beautifully integrated and there is superb concentration here, too, pushing this wine into delicious, carnal places. It will, no doubt, start to drink earlier than usual because the fruit is so all-encompassing and bombastic, but this wine is founded on unshakable acid and tannin, which is in perfect harmony with the fruit, and so this balance will enable it to age extremely confidently, too. I wouldn’t hesitate to move this wine’s classification to ‘A-status’ immediately such is the unquestionable grandeur on display in this vintage. 19+/20
Rating: 19+/20 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Apr 2021)

Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.

Ordering

Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.

Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.

Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.

Confirmation

All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.

Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.

Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.

Delivery

  • Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
  • Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
  • Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
  • Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.

Practical notes - how it works

We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.

Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.

Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.

One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-

  • +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
  • +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
  • +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
  • +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
  • +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
  • +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.

Storage Options:

Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.