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Château Troplong-Mondot

The story of Troplong-Mondot is very much a modern one, a tale of how one generation took the reins and turned a very adequate family business into a highly successful one. And how that success was rewarded with elevation in the 2006 reclassification of St Emilion, promotion from Grand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé, before the collapse of said system rendered all the leading estates without any valid ranking at all. Not that that such systems really matter to those that follow and regularly drink Bordeaux; it is the quality of what is in the glass that counts. In this respect Troplong-Mondot has benefitted greatly from the work of its modern-day proprietor Christine Valette, who runs the estate along with her husband Xavier Pariente and increasingly also with the help of their eldest daughter, the appropriately named Margaux.

In recent years, however, the team at Troplong-Mondot have not only been pushing the envelope of quality, but also of style. This is particularly noticeable with the 2009 and 2010 vintages, both as black as night, and both boasting considerably more than 15% alcohol. These developments have, unsurprisingly, not been to everybody's taste. But before we begin to pick apart what is happening at Troplong-Mondot today, it is time first to establish a little more context, with a little history and some detail on the vineyards and vinifications.

The Origins of Troplong-Mondot

To present a complete tale we must begin in the 18th century, on an expanse of land to the east of St Emilion, on a commanding hill named Mondot. This crest reaches an altitude of 100m above sea level, not that remarkable in itself, but for Bordeaux this is a towering mountain. The estate incorporated what today form the Troplong-Mondot and Pavie vineyards, and was owned by the de Sèze family. In 1745 the Abbé de Sèze commanded the construction of a château on the land, before passing it to his brother Raymond's family. It would seem things were going well at Mondot; nevertheless, by the mid-19th century the grand de Sèze estate had been dissolved, although it is not clear if this was as a result of the Revolution, or of later events. It appears the family held onto what is now Pavie until the 1840s, but otherwise they no longer had a role to play in the history of St Emilion. The core of the original Mondot estate, comprising the château and some vineyards, was next acquired by the Troplong family, first on the scene being Gerus Troplong, before he passed it onto his son Raymond, an author, lawyer and art lover, as well as president of the French Senate from 1852 until his death. Raymond consolidated the vineyard, bringing together a number of parcels so that it attained a size of 33 hectares. This château and its associated vineyards were the beginnings of what we know today as Troplong-Mondot, and the boundaries of the estate have changed very little since its birth.

Raymond died in 1869, bequeathing the estate to his widow, who then passed responsibility onto her nephew Edouard. There was active viticulture and a large output of wine, no doubt helped by the construction of a new chai. At the beginning of the 20th century the estate was certainly enjoying considerable success. Nevertheless, Edouard was elderly, and without children. Although it is unclear when he sold up - several published accounts differ - the property was acquired by Madame Lasseverie who, with the help of her sons-in-law Henri Gasqueton and René Dupeyron, was on a Bordeaux buying spree, acquiring property all along and around the Gironde. Curiously, in 1921, within only a year or two of acquiring the property, she had sold it again, the buyer this time being Belgian Georges Thienpont. Today a famous name in the region, Thienpont was then less well known. He only really made his mark a few years later with the acquisition of Vieux-Château-Certan in Pomerol, an estate that has remained with his family ever since. Although the proprietor of this grand Pomerol estate, which I would comfortably rank in the upper echelons of the appellation, it appears his heart really lay at Troplong-Mondot, as this was where he would stay when visiting the region. I suspect he was influenced by more than just the quality of the wine, as the views provided by Troplong-Mondot's commanding hilltop location certainly hold some appeal.

The Valette Family

By 1936, however, probably as a result of the Great War and the economic depression that followed, Georges Thienpont had to sell one of his assets. As the St Emilion estate was better known than the one in Pomerol, it was likely to provide a more worthwhile return, and so it was Troplong-Mondot that went under the hammer.

The buyer was Alexandre Valette, a wine merchant from St-Ouen near Paris. Although he already owned property in Bordeaux, this was his first vineyard. He subsequently also acquired nearby Pavie, thus bringing together under the same ownership two major parts of the original L'Abbé de Sèze estate. This latter property, however, was passed to one grandson Jean-Paul, then onto the next generation Patrick, before the family sold the estate to Gerard Perse. Troplong-Mondot, however, remains with the Valette descendents; it came first to Alexandre's other grandson Claude, and then to Claude's daughter Christine.

When Christine took control at Troplong-Mondot in 1980 this was a well-run estate, but nevertheless there was certainly room for improvement; this is not a slight upon Christine's father, as in truth such a statement is probably true of all Bordeaux châteaux at the time. Michel Rolland was already consulting at the property, and together they worked for improved quality. The introduction of later harvesting and lower yields were instrumental in their programme of change, as was the decision to cease harvesting by machine, which was replaced entirely by the hand. Yields were more firmly controlled, with pruning changed to Double Guyot in line with much of Bordeaux and a strict green harvest, bringing the yield down to less than 50 hl/ha; the figures achieved today are even lower. They also decided, enacted with the 1985 vintage, to commit some of their fruit to a second wine. Unsurprisingly, the grand vin began to take on a more exalted reputation.

Christine was joined by her husband Xavier in 1990, and later came the vintage that my palate is probably most familiar with, the 1994, not a vintage which anyone would describe as great but nevertheless the Troplong-Mondot has given me plenty of austere, structured but perfumed pleasure over the years. Providing quality in 'lesser' vintages is crucial if an estate's ranking is to be revised of course, as the St Emilion judgements are based on a tasting of ten consecutive vintages. The 2006 reclassification of St Emilion saw all of Christine's and Xavier's efforts rewarded with promotion (following assessment of the 1993 to 2002 vintages) to St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé in the new ranking; it was a short-lived joy though, as the ranking farce that had destroyed the Cru Bourgeois system after it was revised in 2003 looked set to return here in St Emilion. Fortunately this was not to be the case, as disputes were settled and compromises reached, and the new ranking - and Troplong-Mondot's new status - were set in stone. No doubt with an appropriate sense of pride Christine and Xavier have adjusted the sign on their cellars to reflect this promotion, although having simply added 1er to their Grand Cru Classé ranking has left it somewhat off-centre, as shown above. I suspect, however, that this was merely the simplest solution to the 'rebranding', and it doesn't reflect any expectation that they are about to be demoted again!

Today, Christine Valette and Xavier Pariente continue to run their newly promoted estate with a high level of devotion. Xavier, who I met in early 2011, is particularly charming and perhaps something of an unsung cog in the wheel of Troplong-Mondot. And, as I mentioned in my introduction to this account, their management of the estate increasingly involves the input of their eldest daughter, Margaux, who seems set to one day step into her parents' shoes.

Vineyards and Vinification

The vineyard still stands at the 33 hectares established during the de Sèze era. As already mentioned the estate runs around the Mondot, the escarpment to the east of St Emilion that affords such magnificent views over the vineyards, and the château that sits atop the hill is the one built by de Sèze in 1745, now augmented by the addition of cellars and other buildings. There is also, somewhat overshadowing the attractive buildings, a gigantic municipal water tower formed from drab and somewhat scarred concrete. To say that this looks out of place here is something of an understatement; it has a positively alien feel to it. The only advantage to its presence is as a rather ugly landmark; take a look across the vines and rolling slopes from the gravel-strewn courtyard of Ausone, for example, and it is easy to locate the tower peeking out above the opposite hilltop. Well done, you have now located Troplong-Mondot!

With 33 hectares to its name this is an impressive estate, three times the size of many of its neighbours and peers, although comparable in size to its closest such neighbour, the illustrious (and distantly related) Pavie. The soils are the typical St Emilion clay over limestone, with patches of flint, and the vines, which cover about two-thirds of the estate, are predominantly Merlot, accounting for 90%, with 5% each of the two Cabernets. The wines increasingly feature more Cabernet than these figures suggest though, and at least one small parcel of Merlot has recently been regrafted to Cabernet Franc. The vines have an average age of 35 years, a figure that has not changed much in recent years thanks to ongoing replanting during the 1990s and 2000s. Nevertheless there are some ancient vines here, with some claiming an impressive 85 years.

The fruit is naturally hand-harvested, with a typical yield for recent vintages being 34 hl/ha, then fermented under the gaze of winemaker Jean-Pierre Taleyson in temperature-controlled stainless steel, these vats having been installed under Christine Valette's direction. The embryonic wine then goes into oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation and élevage, and the wine rests here for between 12 and 24 months depending on the vintage. The oak is mostly new, accounting for at least 75% of the barrels, the remaining 25% being one year-old, although sometimes a greater percentage of new oak - as much as 100% - will be utilised. The wines are racked throughout the élevage, and before going into bottle there is an egg-white fining if required, and no filtration. What results is then directed into one of two principal cuvées, the grand vin Troplong-Mondot (typically 10000 cases per annum) and the second wine Mondot (800 cases), a Cabernet-dominated cuvée.

Modern Mondot

Since Christine has taken the reins at Troplong-Mondot the wines are reported to have improved immeasurably, and I have detailed above in my history many of the changes she, with consultation from Michel Rolland, have put into place. My tastings of Troplong-Mondot only involve the more recent vintages, and indeed I have found they have a lot to give. The 2004 will always stick in my mind. Encountered at the UGC tasting of that vintage after bottling, when the wines were barely two years old, the Troplong-Mondot was the first wine - after tasting many dozens of others which ranged from fair to very good - that actually gave unbridled pleasure, a wine that actually made you sit up and take notice. Although I think the right bank appellations fared quite well in 2004 anyway, Troplong-Mondot must surely be one of the great successes - it was certainly the best wine there on that October day in 2006.

Looking further back in time, I also - as I have mentioned above - take a lot of pleasure from the 1994. Although it does not have the flesh that many seek from modern Bordeaux, especially modern right-bank Bordeaux, it has an appealingly upright structure, a savoury substance and also more than a touch of attractive perfume. Yes, I may not have tasted every vintage made under the tenure of Christine Valette, but there is certainly evidence of hard work and conscientious winemaking here.

Having said that, I also alluded to more recent changes at Troplong-Mondot in my introduction to this profile. These developments apply most pointedly to the 2009 and 2010 vintages, both tasted during the Bordeaux primeurs. And what these wines show is a distinct change in style, moving from a wine that was already rich and dark to one that is more powerful, and that power is communicated through density, opacity, extraction and alcohol. Both wines are as black as night, and both are prodigiously endowed with alcohol, with over 15% in each case. In the case of the 2009, this figure did not come through on the palate, but the sweet, textured, voluptuous wine was still like no other Bordeaux I had ever tasted. It was not typical of the appellation or region, but I still ranked it very highly indeed. As for 2010, this was a different kettle of fish; for whatever reason, perhaps its rather more restrained and cooler style, perhaps nothing more than serving temperature, this wine showed - on assessing a barrel sample - the alcohol on the palate. It was not a wine that I found appealing.

And so the Troplong-Mondot story continues. I will be fascinated by future opportunities to revisit these two vintages, and also to see what Christine, Xavier and Margaux do in future years. My only hope is that the exuberant flesh, colour and most of all alcohol of these most recent vintages is reined in a little in coming years. Having seen the positive reviews from big name critics, however, I'm not in the least bit confident that this will happen. Which is a shame; this is a great terroir, and it deserves to be allowed to express itself in the wine. With wines with a kick as powerful as these have, I'm not sure that is happening in current vintages. (24/10/07, updated 16/6/11)

Contact details:
Address: 33330 St Emilion
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 55 32 05
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 55 32 07
Internet: www.chateau-troplong-mondot.com
GPS: 44.888443, -0.140617

Château Troplong-Mondot - Tasting Notes

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Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2010: Tasted at the property and at the UGC tasting. The yield was 32 hl/ha, the blend 83% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol declared as 15.5%. Dark and glossy, well concentrated. A flashy and modern nose here, some oak influence giving a toasty element, and a very flamboyant fruit character. The palate is just as honeyed and spicy, with dense plum like that on the nose shining through, and lots of savoury grip to it. The tannins are quite grainy and firm but they sit well within the wine, the fruit fresh and creamy plum covering them nicely. It has an impressive, velvety character, structured rather than elegant though. The alcohol shows through here - something I didn't pick up with last year's similarly prodigious sample. Definite spirity heat here; this is too ripe and over the top for me. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 14-15/20 (April 2011)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2009: This was as black as night at the primeurs, and I was blown away to learn it carried nearly 16% alcohol, when I hadn't spotted it. There is certainly no suggestion of overt spirit on the nose today, in fact it is rather evocative and sexy, with delightful notes of fresh coffee grounds, from the toast of the oak I expect, with some spicy and seductive Merlot fruit beneath. So far, I still find it remarkably appealing. The palate starts off more open and amiable than some, and in the middle there is good fruit, which has a much redder character than the black cherry I recall from my previous tasting, but this intermingles with a searing note of warm alcohol, which lacks the integration the barrel sample I tasted possessed. I am not so convinced here, although there is still much atypical aromatic promise and I cannot just disregard this wine. I have settled on a score significantly below my primeurs range, but I wonder if it shouldn't be lower? One point per degree of alcohol, perhaps? Alcohol 15.5%. From a tasting of 2009 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16.5?/20 (October 2011)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2009: This wine has a fine crimson-black hue - an order of magnitude darker than anything else tasted during the primeurs. The nose has sweet, perfumed, black cherry jam, and the palate has a similarly sweet texture, giving a voluptuous presence in the mouth, but with a good and harmonious character too. Lots of midpalate grip, this is gently composed at first but then it reveals a more powerful tannic core. There is a fresh peppery acidity too. This is a prodigious combination of exotic fruit, supple although richly textured and with a massive structure. One of the most remarkable wines in this commune this year. After tasting the alcohol is revealed to be 15.5% - and yet this doesn't show on the palate which knocked me sideways instead with its ink-dark, black cherry fruit, tannins and flesh. And it has balance, even though it is standing on the very top rung of the ladder. I have to confess I rather like it, although I should make clear that it is not like any Bordeaux I have ever tasted before. So, sorry about the high score! From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18-19+/20 (March 2010)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2008: A darkly coloured wine, and a dark fruit character on the nose too, dominated by a confit element. It doesn't seem soft though - there is a bitterness to it which suggests a firm underlying structure. A creamy start on the palate, ripe and broad, with an intense layer of biting tannins underneath a layer of plush, creamy-velvety fruit. Lots of extract here which dominates the palate, and it is only the soft deep-pile fruit that keeps it at bay. There is acidity though, so this may all come together with time, although this château operates firmly in the modern, high-extraction camp these days. From a tasting of 2008 Bordeaux at two years of age. 17+/20 (October 2010)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2008: Vibrant but rich, sweet crystalline black cherry fruit, an obvious big and sweet style. Dry but well polished tannins at the core, building to provide a big tannic backbone. It has a slightly hard style of structure, but there is sweetness in the fruit as on the nose, and plenty of substance. A big style of wine, but it has balance and staying power. Potentially excellent. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17.5-18.5+/20 (April 2009)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2007: A nose of warm and spicy oak here, with some warm red fruits. A polished mouthfeel, with a hard and slightly ungiving shell, within which there is fruit with an appealing aromatic precision. There is also a surprisingly huge wall of tannin which dominates the wine; I didn't experience that with the primeur sample. It seems heavily extracted; will the fruit cope? From a tasting of 2007 Bordeaux at two years of age. 15.5+?/20 (October 2009)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2007: A vibrant freshness of fruit on the nose at first, revealing nuances of aromatic cherry and also a little liquorice. The palate has a pure and rather rich style, with a lot of spicy and peppery fruit, with a rather an exotic edge to it all. There is a very firm structure apparent, in what is a firm and classically fashioned wine. Nice acidity too. This is potentially very good indeed. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 15.5-16.5+/20 (April 2008)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2006: Rather a restrained style on the nose, although there are appealing notes of creamy, vanilla-tinged fresh fruits. Gentle, composed, supple texture on the palate, smoky tannins, overall very well judged. Ripe, cigar-tinged tannic finish. This is very nicely done and should drink very well with time. From a tasting of 2006 St Emilion & Pomerol. 17.5+/20 (October 2008)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2004: A lovely nose here; very ripe, plummy, Dundee cake character. This is very expressive, and it just oozes quality. Gorgeously extracted and composed palate, with a fine texture, unobtrusive, velvety-peppery tannins in a perfectly balanced frame. So complete and delineated. Really divine; certainly the wine of the tasting for me. Excellent. From my 2004 Bordeaux assessment. 18.5+/20 (October 2006)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2003: A nice, lifted, elegant black fruit nose. Similar elegance on the palate, which has a nicely rounded texture, and it has sufficient substance to cover the firm, grippy tannins that lie beneath. Lovely although quite masculine style. Very good. From my Bordeaux 2003 assessment. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 2002: A moderate depth of colour, just showing some early fading. Quite expressive on the nose, certainly showing a little mature aroma, with vanilla pod character. Quite stylish palate, creamy and rounded, with some charcoal-edged, rather harsh tannins appearing in the midpalate. A full texture. Feels slightly forced, but nevertheless with integration I expect it will be very good. 17/20 (June 2006)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 1995: A deep, glossy hue. Full, ripe, smoky berry fruit. Ripe, creamy, sweet palate. Lovely fruit, but still showing some awkward youth, with the wood still quite evident and rather obvious alcohol. It has good potential though. Drink three to four years from now. 15.5+/20 (January 2005)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 1994: A good colour here, dark concentrated and with a mature rim. The nose is really enticing, starting off with some delightfully perfumed fruit redolent of violets dusted with soot, before developing a savoury, evolved, spiced fruit character. It is exquisitely expressive and certainly full of appeal. After an hour or two of exposure to air in the decanter the palate shows an appealing substance, restrained rather than fleshy, but certainly not lean or aggressive. It is supple and yet rather detached, with a really good grip behind the perfumed fruit here. The tannins are fading but still give a fine backbone, the finish slightly dry and dense, and quite long. Classically restrained, fresh but with appropriate acidity, and yet with a gentle caress to it providing a sense of harmony rather than anything more sharp. I still really like this. And it has just 13% alcohol! From a tasting of 1994 Bordeaux. 17/20 (August 2011)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 1994: This was decanted 2-3 hours before tasting. On the nose it shows stony, fresh fruits with a heady perfume of violets. The palate follows up with a nice weight, a sappy character and a fresh, balanced, honest substance. Once the wine opens up it shows an appealing texture, a nicely integrated composition and some good tannins giving structure. Although this is ready for drinking with an appropriate decant there is still some room for development here I think. The fresh acid will help. Very good. 17/20 (June 2008)

Château Troplong-Mondot (St Emilion) 1994: The wine has a very darkly coloured core, having a red-black hue which extends almost all the way out to the rim, which still has a deep colour. The nose is at first reserved and claretty, with notes of violets and iron, in a rather pure, dusty-powdery style. There is a very good weight on the palate, the wine showing a gentle fleshiness and substance behind a layer of floral flavour. Underneath it all, a slightly harsh, bitter structure, a firm tannic grip and forthright acidity. But there is substance to balance it out, and a good, savoury character. There isn't a lot of length at the finish, but there is plenty of grip. It isn't a blockbuster, but the composition is good and it is certainly approachable now, especially with roast lamb (or similar), but it will also improve over the next five to ten years I think. I certainly do not think I will have any trouble drinking my other bottles. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17+/20 (November 2007)