Merlot 85%, Cabernet Sauvignon 13%, Cabernet Franc 2%.
The Cabernet Franc proportion will increase in the future. 14.8% alcohol by volume, pH 3.48. Harvest started already on August 29 and was thus the earliest ever.
12 days of fermentation, most of the grapes were destemmed, two tanks contained whole clusters. Everything was cooled down to five degrees for one day before fermentation. 60 percent new oak in aging.
On the nose, rich, rich black cherry – highly intense! Along with cassis, mulberry, and also a bit of blueberry. Lots of pressure, high intensity! Violets and licorice come through. Typical Troplong Mondot, but in 2022 it has nothing rough, nothing green. An incredible drive, but also an incredible softness from rich, buttery-smooth tannins. Despite all its power and density, it has a magnificent freshness. Such a beautiful acidity! Lots of salt runs down the tongue. Incredible length!
This is probably one of the most powerful wines of the 2022 vintage. So much pressure, so much intensity and tension! Perhaps even the greatest Troplong Mondot of all time.
Troplong Mondot is located on top of the plateau, but not at the southern edge, rather quite centrally, right by the water tower. 28 hectares of the best terroir on limestone and clay. Slightly sloping. Below that is Tertre Roteboeuf. The direct neighbor is Pavie Macquin. Without a doubt one of the top terroirs in Saint-Émilion overall, and since Amerique de Gironde switched from being the director of Cos d'Estournel to Troplong, the path to 1er Grand Cru Classe A has been consistently pursued.
Most winemakers compare 2022 with 2018, but 2022 was mostly still significantly more concentrated and richer in fruit, more vibrant, creamier, and despite the extreme richness surprisingly fresh, silky, and harmonious, also reminiscent of the dream year 2016.
2022 is not as extremely sharp as the blockbuster year 2019 and not quite as delicately nuanced as 2020. Winemakers with long experience speak rather of a distinctly more perfect reincarnation of the vintages 1982, 1961, and 1949.
This was the driest summer in France since records began and overall the hottest year since 1947. Not as extremely and suddenly hot as 2003, rather harmoniously evenly warm and very dry.
After heavy rain fell in November and December 2021, the following months remained dry and warm. The vines could thus slowly get used to the drought with even flowering. The terroirs with the best water retention properties and the very deep-rooted old vines could relatively easily use the winter and spring water reservoir after early and sunny flowering through the dry summer.
Rain only returned in June and then in the second half of August with 30 to 50mm. Afterwards, it remained sunny and dry with a long "Indian Summer" well into October and even November. Everyone could wait for the perfect harvest time, especially since there was no sugar-alcohol pressure thanks to summer stagnations.
Those with old vines and perfect terroirs, then still affected by the annually increasing April frost and the all-too-frequent hail of early summer, Those spared could especially, as organic winemakers, rejoice over the complete absence of rot and fungal diseases. No one had to spray anything at all.
For organic winemakers with old vines and superb terroir, 2022 was thus a perfect year like never before. Especially since over the past 10 extreme years, they have become accustomed to better-adapted canopy and soil management.
Saint Emilion's and Castillon's limestone cliffs, Pomerol's and Fronsac's clay soils, and the thick gravel lenses of Médoc, with very old vines, had hardly any worries except for a slight decrease in yields.
In 1980, the late Christine Valette, who passed away in 2014, took over the beautiful Chateau located on the hills above the town and is a direct neighbor of Pavie Macquin and La Mondotte. With its 37 hectares in one piece, it is one of the largest in the region, as the areas there are rarely larger than 10 hectares.
In the mid-80s, Michel Rolland joined as the responsible oenologist, so it is no wonder that the wines from this first-class terroir have been among the best Saint-Emilions since the late 80s. This is also due to the decision to fill the weaker lots as second wine. The Grand Vin of the Grand Cru Classes has clearly benefited from this. The wines are always very dark and full-bodied and have an intoxicatingly rich nose. The late harvest from very old vines produces large amounts of sweet tannins and very high extract and glycerin values. Troplong is always a muscular fruit bomb with a touch of bittersweet chocolate, and not every finesse drinker likes this high intensity. The changes and hard work were rewarded: since 2006, this Chateau has risen to the Olympus of the highest Saint-Emilion classification.
Opening hours of the Enoteca:
Tuesday-Friday 14:00 - 19:00
Saturday 11:00 to 16:00
