2/4/2023 - mchern02 wrote:

PnP and followed over many hours.

Lightish color, almost translucent with an attractive bouquet of mixed fruit, stone and chocolate. Fairly mature with dark fruit, minerals and a moderate grip. Medium finish; decidedly not Chambertin but attractive nonetheless, at peak and likely on the declining side of that curve.

1/22/2023 - mchern02 wrote:

2 hour decant

The 83 Margaux has an intoxicating nose immediately upon opening with pungent wet tobacco and cigar, cassis, graphite, and bright cherry. Bright and poppy palate with pixilated red fruit, suave structure and tension, and an epic long and lush finish. Elegance and power, enormous length, and just drinking phenomenally. Drink or hold but certainly in the strike zone.

7/7/2022 - mchern02 wrote:

Gave it about two hours of air; sensational aromatics of flowers, spice, and cedary mint. Elegant and welcoming body; great length and verve; super long and fresh. Quite approachable though clearly upside from here. Glorious

7/7/2022 - mchern02 wrote:

Super nose of citrus, ripe white flowers, peaches, and stones. Irresistible acid and multi-dimensional; great length and pitch. Enormou sbackbone. Great now even better in 2-3 years if you like em young and fresh

7/14/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine:

2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.

Tasting at the brand new gorgeous Chateau that will begin the wine making process for the 2021 vintage. Troplong is/has been a true standout for me on the right bank delivering a richness and complexity that perfectly fits the terrior and winemaking style.

Two call outs, beginning in 2018, they hired a new wine consultant (same as Canon) to change the wine style and have recently invested heavily in the property in hopes (IMO) in being elevated in this year’s (decision due in 2022) classification. More on my opinion on the 2018 and/or tasting story.

Wines tasted at the Chateau
2006 Troplong Mondot
2011 Troplong Mondot
2018 Troplong Mondot
2017 Mondot

Ok so this may be controversial but… I don’t care. I love Troplong Mondot anyone can look back at my notes on the early drinking of the 2015. The style perfectly matches the terrior and whether or not the style matches your palate preference, you can see how it has appeal for those that do. Well, the stylistic change IMO for this vintage in particular is an abrupt 180 and at this stage I am unable to grasp why it wasn’t a more gradual change by working within the terrior and what the vintage presented vs what may be a hasty change for the sake of change which is what this feels like to me at this point in time. It doesn’t mean with nap time it won’t become the wine they want it to become it’s simply not what I would have expected or preferred for this vintage.

Now I didn’t have it decanter for hours nor did I taste the ‘19 or ‘20 so color me a skeptic for now but hopeful the abrupt Parker 180 doesn’t jeopardize what this chateau can produce within their terrior. Only time will tell. Based on this tasting hold for 10 years from vintage date and try again.

9/25/2020 - mchern02 wrote:

2 hour decant.

Stewy, plummy nose which seems pretty overripe with a hint of tea leaves, other fortified fruits and liqueur. Body has some nice make up but slightly out of balance lacking the bite of most bottles of this from other vintages. Fortunately ends with an excellent finish but maybe a bottle variation issue?

Underperformed it’s 2010 sister tonight pretty dramatically.

8/19/2021 - T.E.D. wrote:

My second experience with a Cogno Ravera wine. Again this producer and cru are showing some serious depth and elegance. The nose here is ponounced, with stone fruits meshed with eucalyptus, tar, herbs, and violets with coaxing. The palate is still very tight and with tannin. More dark cherry and stone fruits, coupled with herbal elements, tar, bark and crushed stones. Still quite tight and tannic. Clearly built for 15-20 years of aging. Can this producer becoming highly desirable.

9/22/2021 - T.E.D. wrote:

19th edition. U Club selection. Pale salmon color. Nose is rich and fat, spring time fruit, orchard fruits and dough. Palate is almost over the top with mouth feel. More rich and opulent melon fruit, berry, hint of citrus, fresh bread and yeast round out the palate. This really improved over the course of 3 hours. One of the more opulent rose wines I can remember.

9/18/2021 - mchern02 wrote:

Have this about 3 hours in decanter but tasted along the way

Huge nose of licorice with black berry, crushed blueberry, earthy, tobacco, wet cigar, truffle, but entirely fresh. Textured, layered, really attractive and pretty palate; great acidity and backbone. Youthful tannins which frankly need more time but clearly has bones which still will improve. Forever finish

Upside from here, but already ripping

3/20/2021 - T.E.D. wrote:

At around $60 a solid Bourgogne with good gevery qualities. Nose shows red and black cherry fruits, with nice ripeness and a seeet touch. Palate is somewhat taught and rustic, showing stone fruit, gravelly notes and touches of iron and rust. Masculine in nature.

2/10/2021 - T.E.D. wrote:

Bought this on a whim having no idea of wine varietal or geography. Reminiscent of funky chinon or bourguiel or brouily. Highly aromatic and funk filled nose. Peppery, gamey, some Brett under tones, grape skins, grey flint and tart fruits. Very rustic and volcanic. Not for the faint of heart. Palate is light and lithe, beauj like with tart strawberry, watermelon rind, crushed rocks and stems. Unique and non traditional. Not for everyone I would imagine. More of a wine nerds wine. Canary Islands location makes this even more contemplative.

2/29/2020 - forceberry wrote:

From a 0,67-ha (1,67 acres) clos in Santenay planted in 2000. 13% alcohol.

Youthful, quite translucent and rather deep raspberry red color. Open and beautifully fragrant nose with seductive aromas of ripe raspberries and red cherries, some savory woody spice, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light herbal notes of thyme and Chartreuse, sweeter hints of black raspberries and kirsch and a touch of stony minerality. Very lovely. The wine is ripe, very juicy and wonderfully clean on the palate with medium-to-moderately full body and lively flavors of black raspberries, wild strawberries, some woody and slightly stemmy tones, light sauvage notes of thyme and orange zest, a little bit of peppery spice, sweeter hints of boysenberries and black cherries and a touch of gravelly minerality. With air the wine gains subtle nuances of licorice and toasty oak spice. The overall feel if fresh and focused with balanced high acidity and ripe, textural and friendly tannins. The finish is clean, juicy and subtly grippy with long, youthful flavors of red-toned primary fruit flavors of brambly raspberries and wild strawberries along with lighter nuances of red cherries and redcurrants, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light stemmy tones and a savory hint of woody oak spice. Especially the vibrant red-fruited flavors carry on for a good while on the tongue.

A very stylish, harmonious and balanced red Burgundy. Still very youthful - even primary - at the moment, so the wine is perhaps a bit too young for its own good at the moment, showing less complexity and more explosive fruit character at the moment. There's still tons of pleasure in the youthful exuberance of this wine, so opening one bottle now is not a grave crime. However, I'm sure this wine will settle down and start emphasizing finesse over fruit if just given enough time. I'm going to keep my hands away from this wine for the next 6-10 years and see how it is holding up then. Priced according to its quality at 34€.

11/27/2020 - Jowh wrote:

Last bottle and the one I had the highest hopes for.
Warm hello color. Very fine bubbles but fades quickly. Elegant nose with secondary aromas bordering on tertiary. Still very linear and present acidity. Great bottle but was slightly further matured than expected/hoped for.

12/10/2020 - T.E.D. wrote:

U Club NYC bottle. Very firm and showing good gravel, stone, minerals coupled with stone fruits and hard berry. Really aromatic and structured. We’ll made.

7/25/2020 - mchern02 wrote:

3 hour decant

Pretty far behind the 06 at this time with a edgy, slightly reduced nose of red fruit, minerals and tea petals. Very nice palate with good structure and broad shoulders. Finishes quite well.

Young but hopefully with a lot of upside

6/21/2020 - mchern02 wrote:

Ended up decanting this about 3 hours somewhat by accident.

Concentrated, addictive nose of spice, candied red and black fruit, and eucalyptus. Highly attractive palate with a velvety, engrossing and multi dimensional body with teasing red fruit surrounded with mouth coating acidity. Gives the feeling of lightness while remaining highly dynamic. The wine ends with superb finish of minerals and great length, with slight tension provided by the young but attractive tannins

A wine that is consistently great across the entire tasting and gotten better and better with time; I want to just sit and smell it but I would miss out on the fantastic palate and finish.

I wish I had more.

5/9/2020 - T.E.D. wrote:

Very fresh and bright. On the nose strawberry, watermelon rind, fresh cut flowers. Palate is taught and tense. Crunchy berry, ash, mineral, coffee grind, and jolly rancher. Very satisfying and enjoyable now

5/8/2019 - mchern02 wrote:

2 hour decant; still too hedonistic for my taste.

1st is 6 bottles; will lay down for two or three years. I’m not sure this is in line to “get better” but maybrelax a bit

Just massive without a lot of structure or cohesive ended. Alcohol is high and it comes through on upfront bomb and somewhat heat-induced finish.

RE-bottled and will try again tomorrow. Updated notes to come

UPDATE: opened after 24 hours and poured another glass.

Mellowed a bit but still quite large. I wouldn’t call it at all a California fruit bomb just is quite big.

Nose: dark fruit, violet petals, a bit of green and a bit of anise.

Palate: mouth coating tannins and a mix of hotness; more dark fruits and plums. Not balanced from a structure and acidity

Finish m: fine length with a mix of tannins and heat.

Will wait 2-3 years for the next one.

I’d also wait another 24 hours and try again

Either way, better QPRs out there for sure

5/2/2020 - mchern02 wrote:

Dipped during two hour decant

Thick, coiled nose of muted dark fruit, spice, anise and a touch of heat. Broad shouldered with tight tannins, thick body and moderate tight finish. Needs way more time in decanter, or years in the cellar, or its beginning to unravel a bit.

Day 2: half a bottle left; nose has relaxed a bit but still hugely tannic and closed. Not sure this ever improves

4/23/2020 - mchern02 wrote:

5 hour decant

No green on nose so last bottle must’ve been a fluke.

Mega nose with tightly wound layers of dark red fruit, graphite, minerals, and a hint of chocolate and anise.

Slightly unbalanced body due to powerweight but nice lift, semi firm tannins and medium plus finish with tightness and heat.

While this has quality, it feels like an awkward phase and disjointed somewhat but may soften in time. Has some heat characteristics due to vintage but way less hot than other 03s I’ve had. Huge nose but palate in particular is a bit unwieldy.

Wait 2-5 years; way less drinkable today than 05

Edit: last glass day2; heat mellowed our but wine didn’t evolve from where it was other than less heat.

4/10/2020 - T.E.D. wrote:

My second bottle of a Schrader in a week. Compared to rbs this shows more crunchy fruit with a good amount of freshness and salinity in the red and black fruit component. The obvious berry nose and palate are there, but also hints of forest, cedar, evergreen and perhaps some tar and clove. Consumed over a few hours. Will definitely hold
Up for a few years.

7/18/2018 - T.E.D. wrote:

My second bottle of the lot and I thought this wine was singing. Pure Marg black fruit, cedar, spice box and dusty tannin. Well integrated and a pure pleasure. Still very much alive

3/7/2018 - T.E.D. wrote:

Big and ripe Pinot, showing no elements of Burgundian style. Surprised to see such high scores. Notes of oak, stewed fruit, cola and syrupy prunes. Very extracted and ripe with no acid showing. Perhaps a cooked bottle.

7/9/2017 - wine247365 wrote:

OMFG! First time I've drank Schrader, or anything in its class, and it is quite extraordinary! On the nose, intoxicating aromas of vanilla, blueberry and wisps of raspberry. On the palate, explosively more! Decanted 2 hours, then poured it back in the bottle uncorked for another 5 hrs, which worked fine. When I decanted it, the wine seemed to cling to the sides of the decanter fighting gravity's downward pull. Similarly, when in my mouth, it completely smothered it with beautiful, luscious, flavors. I see where other TNs note the layers of flavors as that description is apt! It's ready to go now and will most likely improve for 5 years. The CT end date is 2030, which I struggle to understand as it is so spectacular now and I don't think it's made for the long haul! Of the 1,045 wines I've logged in CT as Consumed, this IS THE BEST! It's the Anna Nicole Smith of cabs (when she was on her game)!

5/27/2016 - King Julien wrote:

Poured 1 glass via Coravin, very thick and dark, almost like syrup. Outstanding!

4/10/2016 - bacchuszuo Likes this wine:

First of all, there ARE some negatives with this bottle....the 100pt score on the wood case and labels are tacky, the wax capsule is a nightmare to open, they claim this is limited to 876 bottles while they actually release in small badges....all those aside, this wine gave the WOW factor above its pure perfection so even with those nasty distractions, 100 is the only score possible.

Medicinal herby nose at first, kaleidoscopic palate of balsamic, black olive, anise, cassis, black chocolate, raisin, prune, cinnamon, licorice, tarragon, endless spectrum of herbs and spices with heavenly sweetness. The wine opens up with air and continue to evolve. Very vibrant acidity cut thru the rich sweetness to make it weighless on palate yet ripples thru on and on for a 20+min finish. The balance from beginning to end is impeccable. The taste doesn't cloy yet lingers for eternity, transcends sensory perception and linguistic comprehension into an spiritual experience. When served at the end of a drunk-fest, this wine is going to sober you up and recalibrate all senses, even make the mediocre fellow wines beside it taste better than before! A wine that deserves legendary status in the world of vinos.

3/25/2016 - T.E.D. wrote:

Dark crimson color. Relatively muted nose of cherry, touch of tobacco and pine forest. Palate is medium to lean bodied, yet showing a lushness. Dark cherries, some evergreen, gravel, coco nib, pipe and dusty soil on the initial palate. A touch of heat on the back end. Well made, another 5-10 years is all that's necessary

12/2/2015 - T.E.D. wrote:

Magnum. Somewhat closed nose of Black pepper, spice, lightening up over time with more refined herbs, spice, and earth. Palate was classic old school showing mainly pencil lead, rough stones, rocks and gravel. Not for the the faint of heart but none the less a good representation of the region.

9/1/2015 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine:

After 5 hours breathing in the bottle, this barely legal blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc started to show itself. At 7 hours, it hit full stride. Whew!!! Black squid ink-like purplish-red with a thin, slightly tannish-brown rim on the eye. Broad, luvly aromas of ripe blueberries and blackberries, coffee, bit of chocolate and hints of toasted almonds. 18 months in 100% new oak barrels evident. Prominent, rich, bold, complex (we feel leather and musty old books in the not too distant future) and elegant. Rich, concentrated and complex. Full-bodied with classy tannins and an exceedingly long finish. Top-shelf! We have several more, and we look forward to discovering what this little lady will become when she blossoms into the belle of the ball!!!

8/29/2015 - T.E.D. wrote:

Saved a couple glasses for second night. The wine is showing more traditional secondary notes with nice dusty cherry, dried herb, plum skin, desert earth - certainly the garnacha is evident. So old world it begs for an aged manchengo. Buzzzzoff thanks for your note. Additional age we'll definitely help draw out these secondary notes and I can see the aging potential. I just question the need to sit on a simple reserva for so long . . .

8/28/2015 - T.E.D. wrote:

Light ruby color. Classic sour cherry, stewed prune, some port notes, touch of dusty earth and wood . On the palate medium acid, orange peel, prunes, raisin, followed by earth and dry spice box. Not overly complex and short on structure, nothing to right home about and better value can be found. I do not believe age will enhance.

7/30/2014 - sandwich Likes this wine:

Perfect wine to pair with grilled rib eyes. Juicy, bold, and just enough tannins make this a perfect Tuesday night in the summer steak wine. If you find yourself eating grilled rib eyes at your neighbor's house on a Tuesday night in the summer in Chappaqua, NY and this is not the perfect wine, then it's nothing but box wine for me.

7/15/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine:

Boys out fine dining and fine drinking (Restaurant Tani in Gaienmae (Tokyo)): An absolute bonker!
Super concentrated (no sediment), mega young, not at all integrated with raw wood attacking your senses like a a hairy medieval scotsman with a club...

But the grace within is like a well brought up princess. Amazing and astonishing! Spicy, fruity, multi-layered and grande in a way that Aglianico rarely is. This is soooo refined you'd need a microscope to work your way around its intricate details. Apart from young and unintegrated, this is a fabulous wine of sorts.

Just relax, remain patient and watch it grow through the TN's of all the early drinkers.

This wine really deserves its credits. The cousins behind it are worthy of all the praise. Yay! What a feat! This is a must-visit. And a must buy.

2/23/2014 - G_H Likes this wine:

A 100 evening - Marc and Martin turn 100 (Martin's House): This wine is incredible, massive, crazy fat and rich all without being sticky or too sweet.

Dried figs, rose water, dried fruit bread, bergamot, and boy all that umami! The most distinct thing however is the smell of the 'Vasa Museum', a museum in Stockholm, where an old ship is exhibited. When you enter there is this amazing and distinctive smell of very old wood and wax.

Crazy elegant and very very long.

On the downside: I hate that they put on the label an extract of the parker-Review and that the wine got 100 points, that just feels cheap!

2/22/2014 - T.E.D. wrote:

Drank over three weeks thru Coravin. Big and broad, lush black fruit, mellowing over time to show good earth and vegetation elements. Super young, needs time.

2/7/2014 - T.E.D. wrote:

Not sure I get some of the hype here. Very straight forward and singular - hard edges of cherry, pit, lead and earth, very acidic. Little on the nose thru palate, perhaps age will improve the structure and give more depth.