Château Troplong Mondot 2022

Château Troplong Mondot is a Saint-Émilion property that epitomizes the classic characteristics of this dynamic and rich terroir.  This estate exists very much within a class of its own and has captivated the minds of viticultural giants within the wine industry due to its close proximity to great neighbors like Château Pavie.  The property has been in possession of titans like the Thienponts, the Valettes and the de Seze families – all well respected vignerons and négociants who have overseen operations at iconic estates such as Château Vieux Château Certan.  There is undeniably something very special about this Right Bank estate, and it was ranked a Saint-Émilion Premiere Grand Cru Classés Class B property – one of the highest of honors.  

Château Troplong Mondot hosts a history that is about as rich as its terroir.  Origins of the estate date back to the 17^th Century, when it was owned by Abbe Raymond de Seze, who built the château on its stunning grounds.  The de Seze family were already well established within the wine world, and they owned Château Troplong Mondot for one hundred years.  The property was then purchased by Raymond Troplong, who gave the estate its namesake and increased the size of the vineyard holdings to what they are today.  Château Troplong Mondot eventually was acquired by the legendary Thienpont family, who oversaw operations at the estate for a long time, but it wasn’t until the estate was purchased by Christine Valette that Château Troplong Mondot really began its meteoric rise in quality.

Christine Valette was a wonderful, kind, smart and savvy woman who started managing the property in 1980.  She made a series of sweeping changes to the estate, such as switching everything over to manual harvesting, lowering yields, and removing the copious amounts of Malbec vines that were planted over the grounds.  Christine also changed the cellars at Château Troplong Mondot, like adding temperature controlled, stainless-steel tanks in the vat room.  It was only a mere matter of time before critics started to take notice of the increased quality of the grand vin coming from this estate.  The property was classified as one of the Premiere Grand Crus Classés properties in Saint-Émilion in 2006, and the vintages released during Christine’s tenure at the estate were considered some of the most profound of all time.  Tragically, Christine passed away but her legacy at the estate lives on.

Today, the property is managed by the French insurance company SOCR.  A massive renovation was done to the cellars, and it was completed as of 2020.  The 37 hectare vineyard is planted with a mixture of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon which thrive in the limestone soil.  The majority of the vines are 35 years old, but there are some parcels where the plantings are close to 100 years old.  The wine from Château Troplong Mondot is formidable, richly concentrated and possess an almost exotic undercurrent in terms of character.  It is recommended one give their bottle of grand vin just a little bit of time for it to reveal all of its complexities. 

"The 2022 Troplong Mondot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and blackberries mingled with notions of licorice, rose petals, incense and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge mid-palate volume, superb integration and an ineffable sense of completeness. This site always delivers power, but I've never tasted a Troplong that's simultaneously quite so powerful or quite so harmonious and suave. Concluding with a broad, violet-inflected finish, the 2022 represents the essence of this remarkable site." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (03/07/2025), Ratings: 100

"A supremely excellent Troplong in 2022 that has the hallmarks of a concentrated vintage but delivered with ultimate poise and precision. A joy to taste and once again one of my favourites. Sharp, sleek, sour, bright and cool - I love the instant freshness and drinkability of this, tannins are fresh and detailed with both a plush and cool texture underpinned by layers of flavour with depth and concentration. Clearly muscular but pixelated - it’s not tense, lean or austere but generous, charming and playful. Supple and succulent, still with ripe strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit, a mix of bright red and black berries with wet stone, liquorice, dark chocolate and graphite giving the terroir. Silky, balanced acidity and overall so well controlled and presented. 3.5pH. Ageing 50% new oak, reduced by 5% plus 21% in 20hl foudre, 24% one wine barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter, (05/25/2023) Ratings: 98-100

"I was able to taste the 2022 Château Troplong Mondot on two separate occasions, and it never failed to impress. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc, it was raised in 55% new oak, with the balance in once-used barrels and foudre. It's an incredibly pure, precise, seamless Saint-Emilion that has vibrant black raspberry and darker cherry fruits as well as hints of graphite, spring flowers, and damp earth. This medium to full-bodied, layered, nicely concentrated 2022 has polished tannins, a lively spine of acidity, and flawless overall balance. It's the finest vintage I've tasted at this château since the 2015." - Jeb Dunnuck, (02/27/2025), Ratings: 98, Drink: 2032-2062

"A wine of elegance and precision, the 2022 Troplong Mondot is exquisite. Crushed flowers, red berry fruit, blood orange, spice and menthol race across the palate. Troplong Mondot is without question one of the silkiest, most refined wines of the vintage. Absolutely nothing is out of place. Tasted two times." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (01/28/2025), Ratings: 98

"Smooth, stately, rich, powerful, this is just full of delight, rose petals, orange peel, orange flower water, cocoa bean, flint, graphite, fennel, chalk, harnessing the complexity of these 360-degree-orientated soils. Get the precision and the skilful winemaking coming through in the glass. Clearly needs time to age, full of architectural prowess. A brilliant reminder that terroir in certain spots in undeniable, and makes itself felt even with all of the changes put in by the new owners since 2017. Thomas Duclos. A touch of whole bunch fermentation, no fining, low filtration. 55% new oak, 25% oak casks, 25% of one year, 1st year with wax closure for Troplong first wine. Remi Monribot cellar master, Aymeric de Gironde director" - Jane Anson, (03/07/2025), Ratings: 97