Wine Ratings

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Unbelievable nose of black truffle, meat and blackberry. Breathtaking. Full-bodied and very tight, with superpolished tannins and a finish that goes on for minutes. Really is exceptional. Still a baby; give it years. I am blown away. Keeps coming with truffles. Every time I taste it, it gets better.Wine Spectator | 98 WSAn amazing tour de force in winemaking, this massive, opaque black/purple-colored offering boasts an extraordinarily pure nose of black fruits intermixed with cedar, vanillin, fudge, and espresso. It is unctuously-textured, with exhilarating levels of blackberry/cassis fruit and extract, as well as multiple dimensions that unfold on the palate. The 50-second finish reveals moderately high tannin. Despite its similarity to dry vintage port, it is not a wine to drink early. It is a colossal wine! Anticipated maturity: 2008-2035. The ultimate garage wine, La Mondotte is ultra-concentrated, frightfully expensive, yet worth every cent.Robert Parker | 96 RPFull medium ruby. Blackberry, plum syrup, licorice and a whiff of truffle on the nose. Bright, deep flavors of black fruits and game. A very powerful, muscular style of St. Emilion, with a stronger impression of acidity than the ’99. Distinctly tough on the back end, which features chewy, slightly drying tannins that will require patience. This was bottled in June of 2000, a bit earlier than the previous two vintages of this super-cuvee.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

Made in an elegant, surprisingly low key style for La Mondotte, the concentrated, delicious, opaque purple-colored 2001 builds incrementally on the palate. An impressive bouquet of black cherries, creme de cassis, toast, and minerals is followed by a medium to full-bodied effort with nicely integrated wood, acidity, and tannin as well as a long finish. This is a brilliant wine, and one of the finest efforts of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2017.Robert Parker | 94 RPSolid red with loads of spicy, rich berry fruit, with just the hint of spice. Full-bodied, with a well-integrated fruit and tannin structure. Long finish. Tight and firm now. Needs time. This is very serious. Best after 2006. 740 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2001 La Mondotte, which I had tasted twice before, has a pleasant bouquet of raspberry coulis and crushed strawberry scents, hints of peppermint and orange blossom emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with simple red berry fruit, maraschino cherries and touches of blueberry, fine acidity and dark chocolate and espresso notes toward the finish. This was always a more elegant style of La Mondotte, one that did not appeal to me in its youth, but does now. Cropped at 20hl/ha and matured in 100% new oak for 18 months.Vinous Media | 92 VM

From the tiny luxury jewel of the Neipperg family, the 2005 La Mondotte is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from a fabulous terroir. Super-rich and dense purple in color, it represents a concentrated essence in both its aromatic and flavor profile of blackcurrant, black cherry, earth and spice. Full-bodied, pure, and again, possessing sweet, sweet tannin and a tremendously deep, full, layered personality. This is another great example of La Mondotte, which should drink well for 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 99 RPThis has an incredible nose, with blackberry, black licorice and intense coffee and toasty oak character. Full-bodied, with layers of beautiful oak and ripe fruit. Long and voluptuous. Best after 2017.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2005 La Mondotte is the only wine in this tasting that is hard as nails and virtually impenetrable. Deep, inward and super-concentrated, the 2005 offers notable density and inkiness, but not much else today. It will be interesting to see what a few more years in bottle brings. Today, the 2005 Mondotte shows plenty of power, but less in the way of finesse.Vinous Media | 94+ VM