CHÂTEAU TROPLONG MONDOT
2022 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
A wine that transcended both my lofty expectations and anything produced at this address in the last 50 years, the 2022 Troplong Mondot realizes all the potential of this striking terroir. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, exotic spices, bay leaf and orange zest, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with incredible concentration without weight, supple tannins and a seamless, complete profile, concluding with a long, saline finish. All the work of the last few years in the vineyards and winery makes itself felt, as Troplong Mondot's vineyards took the hot, dry conditions in their stride, and the quality of the fruit that they produced has been preserved by a gentle vinification and a discreet élevage, featuring only 55% new oak and some 20% of the volume in large foudres. Rating: 98-100 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
* 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.
Violet edged with an inky core. Expertly delivers the sense of energy that is so key to the best wines in 2022. As powerful as you would expect from these clay-limestone soils, the vintage character shows in dried rosemary and white pepper spice, lacing the fresher blueberry and loganberry fruits. These are big tanins that take a long time to uncurl during tasting and will take a long time in bottle to come around. Contained power, with chocolate block, liqourice, dried roses, delicate but underpinned by menancingly powerful tannins, and a saline twist. Expert construction from director Aymeric de Gironde, carefully containing both the natural power of the soils of Troplong and the natural concentration of the vintage. 50hl/h yield. Harvest began on August 29 through to September 26. Thomas Duclos consultant. Around 3% whole bunch used during fermentation, aged in 55% new oak, 24% one year old, 21% large 2,000l oak casks. Rating: 98 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2023)
The 2022 Troplong-Mondot was picked from 29 August when it was 31° Celsius, which according to estate director Aymeric de Gironde, felt cool compared to the rest of summer. The alcohol is 14.9% with the pH of 3.48. It sees no SO2 until it is transferred into barrel. The nose is very attractive and certainly very expressive of its limestone terroir: blackberry, briary, crushed iris petal and light marine scents. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, quite chalky in texture, that acidic spine governing its overall mouthfeel. Sapid on the finish, this Troplong Mondot builds in the mouth and coats it on the finish. De Gironde and I discussed my previous scores. I always said that he would get better and better during his tenure and this is clearly the case in 2022, the best Troplong Mondot...so far. Drinking range: 2032 - 2068 Rating: 96-98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)
85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. 55% new oak, large foudre now represent 20% of the ageing. Same yield as Mondot. 14.9% alc. This is a stunningly complex Troplong, and the nose and flavour are like opening an encyclopaedia of perfume and leafing through its pages. Whole bunches are employed here to add amazing detail and freshness, and the fruit itself is hedonistic, gastronomic and infinitely layered. Earth, chypre, stem, leaf and, importantly, gloriously ripe fruit sing on the nose and palate, and the tannins are as silky and refined as ever. Gentle fruit handling and meticulous blending have resulted in a mouth-watering, limestone-pricked wine with great traction and finesse. The 2022 vintage is a paean to the incredible small berries and flavour-packed skins harvested at Troplong, and there appears to be more vitality and energy in this wine than I have seen before, and this will equip it for the long run. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)
The 2022 Troplong Mondot is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. Seamless and layered, the 2022 caresses the palate with layers of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, leather and mocha. The purity of the fruit is just remarkable. The typical Troplong stature is present, but the tannins are nearly imperceptible. Clean saline notes extend the long, precise finish. In 2022, the estate was quite selective and only bottled about 70% of the production as Grand Vin, as opposed to the more typical 90% or so. Drinking range: 2032 - 2062 Rating: 96-98 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2023)
A beautiful hue preceeds a nose that is brightly youthful, showing merlots that have been picked when still crisp and thus provide a similar structure. The velvety seduction of the palate also shows fresh flavours that define very juicy substance with everything is in place. This is already amazingly pleasurable and shows a style that is infinitiely fresher and less emphantic that just five years ago. We will be interested to see how this evolves in the bottle. Rating: 95-96 La Revue du Vin de France (May 2023)
The grand vin blend is 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. The yield was 50 hl/ha. The élevage includes 21% foudres, which have replaced the role previously taken on by second-fill barrels. This is pretty serious on the nose, with dark savoury fruits, dried currant, rose and dark chocolate, with richer tones of liquorice and black bean, but it is the floral and precise freshness that really drives the aromatics. This starts with a very precise frame, carrying the aromatic fruit of the nose, with rose, violets and dark chocolate, with a great structure of tannins here, firm, limestone driven, greatly defined, grippy but sitting well within the structure of the midpalate, with a tight but appropriate grip towards the end. The finish is quite brilliant, with polished tannins, and a great mineral energy, while the floral fruit also emerges again, all very cohesive. So long too. This a brilliant Troplong-Mondot, a triumph, undoubtedly Aymeric de Gironde’s best effort, and surely the best wine made here in several decades. Even so, the alcohol is at least 14.9%, which does raise a note of concern though (the label will probably say 14.5%). Rating: 97-99 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2023)
85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Fragrant and fine with red-fruit and liquorice notes. An impressive amount of juicy fruit on the palate, the tannins plentiful but silky and smooth. Builds on the palate providing a long, fresh, chalky finish. Elegant and harmonious. (JL) 14.5% Drinking range: 2029 - 2048 Rating: 17.5 James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)
Very attractive aromas of plums and chocolate with hints of raspberry bush and hazelnut. So fresh and even savory with medium to full body. Such a wide tannin structure building up on the palate. Shows depth and length with lots of minerality. Floral. Beautiful already. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon and 2% cabernet franc. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
Château Troplong Mondot
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 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. 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 2026. 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.