Winemaker Notes
The terroir consists of very silty clay overlaying a rocky subsoil. This shallow, meagre soil induces excellent water regulation and is propitious to deep rooting. Fine natural drainage combined with outstanding sunshine make for early and complete ripening. The grapes, especially Merlot, are picked under ideal conditions every year.
Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Sensational aromas of black olive skin, blueberries, iron, lead pencil and blackberries. Some mushrooms too. The intense, chalky, limestone character expands the medium-bodied palate, showing lots of dark-berry layers. Long and tight in the finish. Chewy at the end from the salty, minerally undertone. A blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.
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Vinous
The 2023 La Mondotte is fabulous. In fact, the 2023 is one of the best Mondottes I can remember tasting. A wine of vertical, explosive energy, La Mondotte dazzles from the very first taste. Inky dark fruit, mocha, lavender, new leather, spice and dried herbs build as this dynamic, complex Saint-Émilion shows off its compelling personality. Superb. –Antonio Galloni
Barrel Sample: 95-97 -
Jeb Dunnuck
From a tiny four-hectare parcel on the upper plateau (just above Pavie and near Troplong Mondot) and based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in 40% new French oak, the 2023 La Mondotte sports a deep ruby hue as well as a tight yet promising nose of black cherries, framboise, chalky minerality, and graphite. It's medium to full-bodied, has a balanced mouthfeel, ripe, building tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. Rating: 96+
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Wine Spectator
Pure and unadorned, with a remarkably sleek feel to its damson plum and cherry puree notes. The long, violet- and iris-accented finish shows a flinty tug at the very end that leaves lingering tension. Merlot, Cabernet Franc.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, matured in 40% new oak from Atelier Centre France, Taransaud and Darnajou, the 2023 La Mondotte reveals a complex, spicy and gently oaked bouquet of ripe dark berries, fresh licorice, rose petals and pencil shavings. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and layered, it is built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by abundant, velvety tannins, and culminates in a long, saline finish. Rating: 94+
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.