Chateau Troplong Mondot 2009

Professional Ratings

• 99 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  It boasts an inky/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of mocha, chocolate, blackberry and cassis fruit, an unctuous texture, a full-bodied, viscous mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like, multilayered finish. This spectacular wine is nearly overwhelming in its richness, thickness and intensity. Once all its baby fat falls away, the terroir characteristics and additional nuances will emerge. This blockbuster, fabulous Troplong Mondot will benefit from 10-15 years of cellaring and keep for three decades or more. It is not shy either, bouncing over the palate with 15.5% natural alcohol.
• 96 James Suckling
  Although this is very ripe and rich with a generous body and a slew of black fruit aromas it’s also elegant and poised. The bitter chocolate character is more restrained than in many modern-style Right Bank wines of this period and there's a lovely balance of lively acidity with fine dry tannins at the complex finish. Drink or hold.
• 96 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
  When I was much younger, I had always heard about the greatness and the exclusiveness of Ch Troplong Mondot. Then I started visiting Saint-Emilion and saw first hand how great this chateau was, but the wines seemed just too big and almost garish to me. The 2009 is masterful and changes the course of this wine. While they will always say that nothing has changed in the winemaking, I believe this is one of their very best to date and with each vintage going forward that will be the case. This vintage is packed, yet so well balanced; red and black currants some oak and beautifully wrapped around each other. (Barrel notes: 95-97) (Best Served 2020-2045)
• 92 Wine Spectator
  Very dark, with strong pastis-soaked blackberry and roasted plum notes leading the way, with layers of sweet spice, mocha and tobacco filling in on the finish. Rather lush and perhaps a touch too roasted in style for some folks, with enough just grip to keep it going. Best from 2013 through 2024. 6,288 cases made.
• 91 Decanter
  These were the St-Emilion excess years and you see it here, with kirsch flamboyance on the nose from the off. You hover around before tasting, not quite sure of how close to get. There's gloss to the palate, with high-toned silky fruits that are not balanced perfectly with the heat running through the palate. I remember this at En primeur, and it hasn't calmed down enough over the last 10 years. It's got all the stuffing to impress, but you need to be looking for a very specific style. Lovers of subtlety should look elsewhere.