2022 Château La Mondotte

Blackberries and blueberries with chalkboard and dark earth aromas. Flowers, too. Lead pencil. Full-bodied and very deep in the palate, which is reserved and texturally sophisticated. Chalky, too. Silky and very polished. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. (2023)

Coming from pure limestone soils just above Château Pavie, the 2022 La Mondotte is inky hued and medium to full-bodied, with a concentrated yet surprisingly supple, elegant profile. Yields were healthy in the Comtes von Neipperg lineup of wines, and I think that contributes to the more open, supple, elegant style here. Nevertheless, it's beautifully textured, has good concentration, ripe tannins, and tons of limestone character on the finish. This beautiful, layered, elegant Saint-Emilion will be drinkable right out of the gate yet still evolve gracefully. (2023)

The 2022 La Mondotte is made up of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc with a pH of 3.48. Yields were 45 hl/ha, and it is aging in 40% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a bit of swirling to bring out notes of plum preserves, blackberry preserves, and fruit cake, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, unsmoked cigars, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with black and blue fruit layers, framed by fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and with great purity. (05/2023)