Château La Mondotte 2019

This is a gorgeous display of fruit, with boysenberry, fig and mulberry notes rolling through, showing both muscle and refinement as they carry a punch, while staying silky and lush in feel. There are sweet tobacco, sous bois and black tea flavors peeking in on the finish and this is remarkably fine-grained for the vintage. A clear classic. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040. 1,700 cases made, 140 cases imported.

A powerful punch of inky black and blue fruits on the attack; the wine’s charm steals up on you slowly, with liquorice and bitter dark chocolate coming in from the mid-palate onwards as the tannins begin to relax. There are floral aromatics here as well, if you give them time. An extremely well-made, carefully controlled and tightly knit wine that sits comfortably at the top of the classified range, confident of its place. 70% new oak. A yield of 51 hl/ha.

This has a fragrant nose of blackberries, red tea, cloves, bark, orange zest and dark chocolate. Sandalwood and tile, too. Full-bodied with chewy yet supple tannins and fresh acidity. Seamless and rich. Long and muscular. Try from 2027.

Tasted blind. Very dense. Rich, perfumed nose. Rich, grainy palate. A little drying on the finish. Curranty flavours. But lively on the palate, even if not that long. (JR)

Deep in color, the wine is equally deep on the palate. Opening with an intense display of flowers and potpourri, the wine quickly moves to show off the remainder of its aromatic profile that includes spice box, licorice, chocolate-infused cherries, mint leaf, and black plums. Full-bodied, rich, intense, and opulent, the finish lingers on the palate, providing a backdrop for all of its opulent, ripe, vibrant fruits and crushed stones. Drink from 2026-2055.

Dark ruby, opaque core, violet tints, delicate bright rim. Delicate floral underlaid ripe cherry fruit, mineral touch, a hint of fine oak and candied orange zest. Juicy, ripe cherries, red berry nuances, silky tannins, immensely finesse-rich structure, salty nuances, possesses a delicate, almost Pomerol-like character, remains long, already very seductive, a wine full of charm and class.

A gorgeous wine that will demand bottle age. The 2019 La Mondotte comes from a tiny vineyard located right next to Pavie Decesse and is always a blend of mostly Merlot with roughly 15–30% Cabernet Franc, raised in new French oak. Mulled blackcurrants, darker cherries, tobacco leaf, chocolate, pencil lead, and ember-like nuances all emerge from this brilliant wine. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, with good acidity, building tannins, and a great, truly great finish. It retains the more classic, focused style of the vintage, yet it’s a beast of a wine that delivers the goods. Hide bottles for a solid 7–8 years or more, count yourself lucky, and it’s going to have 30–40 years of longevity.

79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 51 hl/ha. Opaque, almost black purple. Concentrated bouquet of wild cherries, with plenty of cassis spice and stewed damsons behind. On the second nose, exotic woods, licorice, and a bouquet of violets. On the powerful palate with silky texture and a demanding tannic framework, an untamable powerhouse with ripe extract and brilliant, supporting verve that gives it an (almost) magical finesse. In the focused, never-ending finish, an explosion of blueberries, sloe jelly, cocoa powder, and deep-seated minerality. This is a La Mondotte for the ages. It moved me a touch less than Canon La Gaffèliere!

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc) Highly concentrated, complex, velvety, dark bouquet, cherry compote, dark chocolate, graphite, Black Currant, cedar. Powerful, dense, multi-layered, elegant palate with a dark, abundant aromatic profile, lots of fine tannin, a finely muscular structure, dense dark fruit, very long, vigorous finish with plenty of lingering flavors. (19/20) 21: Barrel sample. The color shows a saturated mix of ruby and carmine red. Highly concentrated, complex, dark-berry bouquet, cherry compote, dark chocolate, graphite, Black Currant, cedar and fine woods. On the palate, powerful, dense, layered, with a generous and even rich extract, pleasantly muscular structure. Here again, a very dark fruit profile, ranging from blue to black berries. Intense finish with great lingering aromas. This will be a very popular “Winnerwein”!

(79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc) Highly concentrated, complex, velvety, dark bouquet: cherry compote, dark chocolate, graphite, Black Currant, cedar. Powerful, dense, layered, and elegant palate with dense, dark, multifaceted aromatics, lots of fine tannin, a finely muscular structure, dense dark fruit, and a very long, robust finish with plenty of lingering aromas. 19/20 2027 - 2060

A blend of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 La Mondotte is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with notes of stewed plums, blueberry preserves, and Chinese five spice with hints of sandalwood and star anise. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-filling, spicy black fruit preserves with a velvety texture and lifted finish.

[ Primeurs 2019 score: 95 ] The palate is concentrated and voluptuous. The finish is long, with a silky foundation of great sensuality. In around ten years, it will develop truffled notes and then take on the stature of Mondotte’s great vintages. With age, it will gain in refinement and complexity.

This vintage displays the austerity of limestone and, as a corollary, freshness. The wine seems to be in full expansion, overpowerful in its youth, which makes it more closed in on itself than usual. A fleeting phase: you must wait for the youth to fade to discover its best.

A wine that is immediately rich on the nose, with notes of chocolate cake. On the palate, it shows great fluidity and impressive freshness, which counterbalance the undeniable hedonism of this wine with opulent aromas and serious tannins.

Intense and complex, the bouquet reveals a multitude of facets with aromas of dark fruits, truffles, and chalk. Such concentration and mid-palate density, with powerful, fine-grained tannins aligned with the acid structure. The latter ensures harmony and literally champions the intensity and aromatic persistence of the finish. An exceptional wine!

The nose is elegant and aromatic, offering power, a lovely racy grain, intensity and precision. It reveals notes of pulpy/juicy wild blackberry, wild blackcurrant and, more subtly, a sense of place/terroir, combined with touches of juicy/fresh blue fruits as well as fine hints of fresh tobacco leaf, Cubeb pepper and spices. The palate is fruity, balanced, racy and elegant, with a fine tangy framework, a delicate touch, juiciness, gourmandise, as well as tension, precision, depth, intensity and power (yet with finesse and balance). On the palate, this wine shows notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant, juicy/pulpy small black fruits and, more slightly, lily, combined with touches of a sense of place/terroir, pulpy/juicy small wild red berries, as well as fine hints of Cubeb pepper, tonka bean/cocoa, toastiness, discreet hints of vanilla and caramelization. Long finish. The tannins are elegant and well-handled. Very discreet hints of ripe almond on the persistence.

Almost black color. Moderately aromatic nose with ripe fruit. A touch of spice. Soft on the attack, smooth mid-palate and rather velvety as it develops, the wine finishes pleasantly, flavorful, with good, well-woven length.