Extremely complex on the nose with blackberries, chili spice, chocolate and fresh walnuts. Full-bodied, tight and very minerally and racy. Steely tannins. Fresh and vivid. Seamless, soft tannins give this form and beauty. Fresh and powerful. Profound.

There was no frost here. Composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Mondotte simply sings of gorgeous ripe blackberries, mulberries and black raspberries with touches of sandalwood, lavender, licorice and rose hips plus wafts of garrigue and exotic spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated with firm, very silky tannins and layer upon layer of black fruits and spices, finishing very long and beautifully perfumed. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, erobertparker.com, April 2018

Based on 60% Merlot and 15% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up in new barrels, the 2017 Bellevue Mondotte sports a deep, inky color as well as a seamless, seductive, opulent style that's rarely found in the vintage. Creme de cassis, cold iron, macerated cherries, and toasted spice as well as touch of chocolate give way to a massive, full-bodied, rounded 2017 that already offers tons of pleasure.

Typically the most large-scaled, long-lived and powerful of the Von Neipperg estate. A brilliant deep purple in colour, this is intensely juicy with a luscious, velvetly palate which exudes fresh blackberries and spicy oriental flavours of star anise and black pepper. This has fantastic quality. - April 2018

Solidly built, with a ganache frame that marries well with the core of fig and plum compote flavors. Tobacco and chalky minerality line the finish, revealing an echo of savory at the very end. Starts big and gains refinement as it moves along. - James Molesworth, winespectator.com, April 2018

The 2017 La Mondotte is a total stunner, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage. Exquisitely layered in the glass, the 2017 possesses stunning freshness and vibrant to play off the characteristically dense Mondotte fruit. Lavender, chocolate, menthol, spice, crushed rocks and new leather add nuance to a core of plush, inky dark fruit. La Mondotte was spared damage from frost. For the first time, La Mondotte contains 30% Cabernet Franc. Tasted two times. - vinous.com, May 2018

The 2017 La Mondotte was picked 14 to 29 September at 26hl/ha, a respectable yield since this was not touched by the frost. It is matured in 60% new oak. It has quite a rich and opulent bouquet with layers of kirsch, wild strawberry, blood orange and rose petals. Sure, it is a little glossy in style although that is usual for La Mondotte at this early stage. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. This feels quite rounded in the mouth, low acidity, sensual in texture with a touch of spice and white pepper towards the sumptuous finish. Without question this is the best of Comte Stephan von Neipperg’s wines this year and a really quite masterful La Mondotte. Tasted three times with consistent notes. - vinous.com, May 2018