1998 Château Troplong Mondot St. Émilion Grand Cru Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
60826 Views
1998
Château Troplong Mondot (St. Émilion Grand Cru)
Fully mature, the wine lacks the depth and richness found in the best years. Instead, you find a licorice, earth and smoke filled wine with dark plums, round textures and black, cocoa dusted cherries in the finish. 3,724 Views Tasted Mar 1, 2019The best showing of the wine yet. Popped and poured, truffle, black cherry, boysenberry and earthy scents were easy to find. With an hour in the glass, burning campfire embers and dark chocolate added to the complexity. The exposure to air added fat and softness to the wine, which finished with ripe, sweet, fleshy dark berries and cocoa. There is no reason to age this longer. I'd drink this over the next 10-12 years. 5,413 Views Tasted Jan 7, 2015As this inches closer to its 17th birthday, this is probably fully mature. With a nose of truffle, plum, black cherry, cocoa, coconut and a hint of orange rind, the wine is soft, polished and round. The tannins have melted away. Popped and poured, the wine improved in the glass for at least 30 minutes. There is no hurry to consume this, but there is no reason to age it any longer at this point either. 4,634 Views Tasted Oct 15, 2014This is really showing nicely with its licorice, black cherry, chocolate and earthy personality. This is not as rich as the stunning 2000 or 2005, but for drinking today, this is the wine to open. 5,287 Views Tasted May 19, 2013Tasting much younger than a wine that is close to celebrating its 15th birthday, licorice, black cherry, forest floor, smoke and cocoa scents open to a soft, fleshy, supple textured St. Emilion that is rich, young and vibrant and just starting to enter the beginnings of maturity. In 1998, the wine reached 13% ABV. 6,976 Views Tasted Oct 4, 2012Still young, fresh and vibrant, but maturing at a slow and steady pace, a beautiful nose of licorice, boysenberry, black cherry jam, truffle and mocha appear. Round, soft and plush, the wine ends with a dark chocolate covered plums and spice. This is showing well today and should continue to evolve and offer pleasure for at least another 15 or more years if well stored. 8,549 Views Tasted Mar 18, 2012Licorice, chocolate, boysenberry, truffle, mint, coffee and fresh black cherry aromas pop from the glass with little effort. Plush, lush, opulent and sexy, this chocolate, licorice and dark plum filled St. Emilion has added a lot of weight, density and complexity over the last few wines. In today's over heated marketplace, this is a wine to buy, cellar and enjoy. 9,191 Views Tasted Aug 28, 2011A fountain of rich, licorice, chocolate and sweet black fruits jumped from the glass. Full bodied and filled with elegant, plush, opulent fruit, the 1998 Troplong Mondot is starting to blossom 6,212 Views Tasted Oct 12, 2009Spicy cherries, black fruit, licorice and an interesting hint of candied raspberry start off the aromatics. Rich, deep and concentrated on the palate, the wine finishes with a blast of ripe, licorice and dark berry notes. 6,329 Views Tasted Aug 15, 2008Licorice, chocolate, black plum and dark berry aromatics with coffee and spice. Full bodied, ripe tannins and a long, powerful, yet elegant, fruit filled finish are the hallmarks of this wine. Still young, this will only get better with time. 4,511 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2007 |
When to Drink Chateau Troplong Mondot, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Troplong Mondot needs time in the cellar and decanting to show its best. On average the wine needs a minimum of 8-10 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage.
Chateau Troplong Mondot is best enjoyed in the first 10-35 years of life. Young vintages of Troplong Mondot can be decanted for 2-3 hours which allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Serving Chateau Troplong Mondot with Wine and Food Pairing Tips
Chateau Troplong Mondot is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Troplong Mondot is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Troplong Mondot is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.
If you want to enjoy life in the wine country of Bordeaux, in 2010, Chateau Troplong Mondot opened a bed and breakfast inn, right on the property! “Les Belles Perdrix” (The Beautiful Partridges) is located in the heart of St. Emilion, on a hill overlooking the picturesque village of St. Emilion. There are three different, beautiful rooms to choose from.
More than bed and breakfast, if you desire, the chateau recently hired a fabulous French chef that works with fresh, local products. Of course, guests will also receive special VIP tours and tastings at Chateau Troplong Mondot as well! In 2012, Chateau Troplong Mondot also opened a restaurant on the estate with a beautiful, outdoor patio that offers one of the most stunning views in all of Saint Emilion.
As a special tip for you, the restaurant has made a real effort and boosted the number of wines on their wine list so that now, they have one of the best wine lists in St. Emilion with wines from Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, and other wine regions. Belles Perdrix was closed for 2018 as it underwent a complete renovation.