A stupendous effort, and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, La Mondotte's 1997 boasts a saturated purple color as well as an explosive nose of blackberries, violets, minerals, and sweet toasty oak. Huge and massive, yet gorgeously proportioned, it possesses an unctuous texture with no hard edges. Seductive and easy to drink, it should be consumed between now and 2015.

Dark ruby. Exotic, port-like aromas of blackberry eau de vie, chocolate and shoe polish. Massive, extremely ripe and mouthfilling; shows extraordinary texture and length for the vintage. Like a liqueur. Finishes with major but thoroughly ripe tannins and a mineral firmness that gives the huge fruit shape and grip. An extraordinary achievement for 1997, but then von Neipperg didn't begin harvesting these vines until the very end of September, while some of his neighbors, he notes, began as early as September 5.