Château Troplong Mondot – 2006 – Saint Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé B

Red wine with a quite dense core, still almost impenetrable, with a ruby nuance towards the rim, and a rather high viscosity; high level of ripeness it seems. Quite complex nose here, with a certain evolution; we have some fine hints of roasted wood, coffee, intermingling with a lot of dark ripe fruit, some tobacco, leather, a fine spiciness. Very dense palate here, high level of concentration, high level of extraction. I would say this feels like a wine that just came around, because I think those tannins now are polished, well-integrated into giving a very bold and lush texture, with those layers of dark fruit like cassis, blackberry; with a certain complexity coming from a few years of aging, obviously, with fine spice box and tobacco notes. So very good grip, dense, opulent, layers of fruit, very long finish; it really keeps lingering for a good while on the palate. I think that those slight hints of oak picked up on the nose, those toasted roasted notes, they’re not really noticeable on the palate, rather much more an expression of that very nice lush fruitiness now. Still with a presence of tannin but as I said they just came around, well-polished and integrated, contributing to this very long finish. Very good.

Tasted by the Best Sommelier of the World, Andreas Larsson.