La Mondotte 1996

97 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The debut vintage for this wine will prove to be an auspicious one. The wine, all 800 cases of it, is produced from a 30-year old parcel of vines located between Le Tertre-Roteboeuf and Canon-La-Gaffeliere. Made from 100% Merlot, and fermented and aged in 100% new oak barrels, this wine is one of the most concentrated young Bordeaux I have ever tasted. On each of the three occasions I tasted it, my notes contained the expression "a must buy!" Whether it is trying to be the Petrus or Le Pin of St.-Emilion is irrelevant, for this wine, made by the superbly talented Comte Stephan de Neipperg, proprietor of Canon-La-Gaffeliere and Clos de l'Oratoire, is a showcase offering that is already turning heads, and leading to some uncalled for jealousy. Opaque purple-colored, with a texture reminiscent of a high quality vintage port, this massive, super-endowed wine is so thick and rich that the 100% new oak influence is barely noticeable. Full-bodied and gorgeously pure, with a 40+ second finish, the 1996 La Mondotte will be hard to find, but, wow, what a first-time effort! Readers might do well to imagine a hypothetical blend of 70% of the 1996 Canon-La Gaffeliere and 30% of the 1994 Fonseca vintage port! Because of its extravagantly extracted character, this wine should be remarkably drinkable when young, but should age well for 20+ years. Bravo!

97 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

One of the vintage's most extraordinary wines, the 1996 La Mondotte (800 cases made primarily from a 30-year old parcel of Merlot vines planted on the hillside between La Tertre-Roteboeuf and Canon-La-Gaffeliere) is the dream-child of Comte Stephan de Neipperg. Neipperg has done an exceptional job elevating the quality of Canon-La-Gaffeliere, and more recently Clos de l'Oratoire, both impressive St.-Emilions. Retasting this wine in November, 1997, confirmed my original estimation. It is unquestionably one of the super-stars of the 1996 vintage. The wine is atypically powerful and unctuously textured, especially for a 1996 right bank offering. It boasts an opaque ruby/purple color, as well as celestial aromas of jammy black fruits, truffles, licorice, coffee, and smoky new oak. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied and seamless, with gorgeously integrated acidity, alcohol, and tannin. Still remarkably thick, layered, and extravagantly rich, this wine possesses considerable tannic clout in the blockbuster finish. If it continues to improve as it did between spring and late fall, it may merit an even higher rating. Amazing stuff! Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.

97 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

An amazing wine, the 1996 La Mondotte (approximately 800 cases made from a 30-year old parcel of 100% Merlot planted on a hillside between Le Tertre-Roteboeuf and Canon La Gaffeliere) is a super-star. If readers cannot get excited by tasting the 1996, they should change beverages. It is amazing for both its appellation and the vintage, revealing a remarkable level of richness, profound concentration, and integrated tannin. The thick purple color suggests a wine of extraordinary extract and richness. This super-concentrated wine offers a spectacular nose of roasted coffee, licorice, blueberries, and black currants intermixed with smoky new oak. It possesses full body, a multidimensional, layered personality with extraordinary depth of fruit, a seamless texture, amazing viscosity, and a long, 45-second finish. The tannin is sweet and well-integrated. This blockbuster St.-Emilion should be at its best between 2006-2025. A dry, vintage port Fonseca! For its immense size, this wine is neither heavy nor over-done.

91 POINTS

Stephen Tanzer - Vinous

Black ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of raspberry, minerals and toffee. Extroverted, sweet and powerful in the mouth, with superb density for the vintage. Finishes with huge but well-distributed tannins. This is 100% merlot, while the '97 and '98 include 20%-25% cabernet franc; von Neipperg says he picked the cab franc too early in '96 and found it too rustic to include in the blend.

Wine Spectator

Shows pretty berry and wet earth character, medium to full body and firm tannins. It's an elegant young wine, but slightly woody and austere on the finish, needing a tad more fruit concentration in the midpalate to be outstanding, and not quite as good as when tasted from barrel. Still, an impressive debut wine from this estate after it was upgraded by the owner of Canon-La Gaffelière. Best after 2005.

Stephen Tanzer - Vinous

Saturated black-ruby color. Sappy violet and blackberry aromas, plus lively stony and iron nuances. Dense and juicy on the palate, with a distinctly hard structure and outsized, mouthstaining tannins. Finishes with notes of violet and melted toffee. More sauvage and unrefined than the '97. The fruit intensity is remarkable for a right-bank wine from this vintage. I underrated this wine last spring, but still have some nagging doubts about its ultimate balance.