Inky, bluish/black/purple, with notes of spring flowers, licorice, camphor, graphite,

and a boatload of blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, this is a

powerful, full - bodied Troplong Mondot. All the building components of acidity,

tannin, wood and alcohol are judiciously and impressively integrated. It is a

blend of 90% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet

Franc made by Christine Valette and her husband Xavier Pariente with the consultancy

help of Michel Rolland. Forget this for 5 - 7 years and drink it over the

following three decades. /RP /Feb 2013