Chateau La Mondotte 2017

JAMES SUCKLING: "Extremely complex on the nose with blackberries, chili spice, chocolate and fresh walnuts. Full-bodied, tight and very minerally and racy. Steely tannins. Fresh and vivid. Seamless, soft tannins give this form and beauty. Fresh and powerful. Profound. Drink in 2022."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Darkly tinted with purple accents, evocations of blackberry liqueur, flowers, licorice, smoke and coffee, the wine is full bodied, concentrated, lush, deep and mouth-filling. There is richness, length and salty tannins. Give this 10-15 of years of age to develop. Blending 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 14% alcohol with a pH 3.5."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Not shy, this pumps lush, dark plum, cassis and fig fruit forward, backed by contrasting waves of grippy tobacco and licorice snap. Dense and muscular until the finish, when a well-buried chalky minerality begins to emerge, adding refinement and cut. A big style, built for the cellar. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2042."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 La Mondotte explodes with beguiling scents of wild blueberries, black raspberries and warm plums plus nuances of lilacs, tilled soil, fallen leaves and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-filling, crunchy blue and black fruits with a wonderfully plush texture and loads of freshness, finishing long and savory."

WEINWISSER: "Purpur mit rubinrotem Rand, satte, fast schwarze Mitte. Konzentriertes, enorm intensives, kraftvolles Bouquet mit rosinigen Noten. Der Wein wirkt fast ein bisschen «kalifornisch». Dabei sowohl in Nase und Mund dicht gestaffelt, mit dunklen Beeren und reifen Kirschen, ganz zarte rosinige Noten, wirkt extraktvoll und muskelbepackt. Das hochwertige Tanningerüst hält die Fülle aber gut in Schach, das kann und wird mit Reife noch etwas zulegen."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2017 La Mondotte checks in as 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak. It's beautifully concentrated yet has a bright spine of acidity as well as plenty of tannins that give it a focused, classic style. Blueberries, black cherries, plums, crushed violets, licorice, and graphite notes all emerge from the glass, and this medium to full-bodied beauty has plenty of ripeness, bright underlying acidity, and a great finish. It's the ripest, most powerful in the lineup, yet still shows the elegance and straight style of the vintage."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Based on firm, dry tannins, this wine has a solid, powerful character. It also has layers of beautifully perfumed fruit that enhance the black-currant flavors. The fine tannins need time to soften, so drink from 2024."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, feine Edelholznuancen, schwarze Kirschen, dunkle Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Feigen, etwas Nougat. Saftig, elegant, frische Kirschenfrucht, präzise Tannine, salzig-mineralischer Touch, bleibt lange haften, finessenreicher Stil, verfügt über Entwicklungspotenzial."