Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite, and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a powerful, full-bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy help of Michel Rolland. I-m not sure what the heady alcohol level is in Troplong Mondot in 2010 (it certainly must be in the 15%+ range), but it is well-concealed behind the extravagant, richness, full-bodied power, and pure nobility of this majestic wine. Forget this for 5-7 years and drink it over the following three decades.
An absolutely stunning wine from this estate, which seems to be on a mission to produce exquisite world-class wines with enormous aging potential, the 2010 is showing better from bottle than it even did from barrel. Drink: 2018 - 2048
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013
(96-98+ pts)
2010: An amazing wine, the 2010 is right up there with the extraordinary quality of 2009, 2005 and 1990. Made from yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend was 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. A late harvest between October 4 and 16 with the last of the Cabernet Franc coming in on October 28 no doubt accounts for the wine's powerful 15.5% natural alcohol. Of course, the anti-alcohol folks will make a big deal of this, but despite the high alcohol levels in nearly every 2010, there is freshness, precision, definition and absolutely no heat in the wines whatsoever. This stunningly rich effort offers abundant blueberry, black raspberry, licorice and graphite notes intermixed with a hint of espresso roast, a seriously concentrated, super-intense mouthfeel, full-bodied power, a complex, multidimensional texture and a nearly 50-second finish. It will require 5-6 years of bottle age after its release and should keep for three decades or more. Just prodigious!
Ripe and dense, but very vibrant and energetic, as a torrent of cassis, blackberry coulis and fig paste rushes through, framed by enticing black licorice and evenly roasted alder and juniper notes. The long finish has lots of grip and acidity, but they work together and are deeply embedded. Captures the fruit and structure of the vintage superbly. JM
Deep ruby. Knockout nose combines sexy black raspberry, smoky earth tones, dark chocolate and spices. Lush, dense, sweet and complete, with black fruit, cocoa powder and mineral flavors offering both full ripeness and a cool restraint. Really insinuating depth of flavor here. Finishes with powerful echoing black fruits and great focus and length, with substantial but ripe and perfectly integrated tannins. A great example of a late-ripening terroir in a long growing season without extreme heat.
Very intense blackberry and blueberry character on the nose. Full body with super refined tannins and beautiful fruit. So delicious and pretty. Very rich and a little high-octane. Yet luscious and flamboyant. Try in 2018.
-www.jamessuckling.com, 'Tasting Report: 2010's Greatness Across The Board in Bordeaux', 17 Feb 2013
(95-96 pts)
What a nose. Gorgeous aromas of minerals, flowers and dark berries. Stunning. Full bodied, with a solid core of fruit and racy tannins. Citrusy finish too. Loving this.
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