2018 Château La Mondotte

Description

96-99  Wine Spectator
“Intense raspberry and plum compote flavors show juicy energy, backed by a liberal dose of roasted apple wood notes. Grippy and still a bit chewy, but the drive is there, along with a buried mineral edge that lingers.” (3/2019) James Molesworth

97-98  James Suckling
“Wow. This is very dense and powerful with linear tannins and vivid acidity that run straight through the center of the wine. It’s full-bodied with great freshness. Loads of blackberry character and a salty-mineral undertone. Extremely long in the finish.” (4/2019)

95-97+  Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2018 La Mondotte is another incredibly classy wine from proprietor Stefan von Neipperg and comes from a beautiful terroir situated above Pavie Decesse. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, it offers a seamless display of crème de cassis, crushed violets, and a liquid rock-like minerality. Full-bodied, with massive amounts of fruit, full-bodied richness, and building tannins, it’s an infant and will require 4-6 years of bottle age, but it’s a brilliant Saint-Émilion that will keep for 2-3 decades.” (5/2019)

94-97  Antonio Galloni for Vinous
“The 2018 La Mondotte is one of the highlights in this vintage. A rich, extravagant Saint-Émilion, La Mondotte retains a surprising amount of nuance and detail for a wine of its size. Crème de cassis, lavender, mint, spice and licorice all run through this sumptuous, full-throttle wine. Bright saline notes add energy and vibrancy. Simply put, the 2018 is stunning.” (4/2019)