In Bond Fine Wine. 1997 La Mondotte, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, France. Grand Cru • Red Bordeaux in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 94/100 (RP). Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
James Suckling (JS) — 90/100 · JamesSuckling.com, 31/01/2000 · Drink 2002+
Well-constructed wine and more harmonious than the 1996. Good dark color, with impressive aromas of spices, tobacco, coffee and toasted oak. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of new wood on the palate. Give it time. Best after 2002.
Robert Parker (RP) — 94/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 21/04/2000 · Drink 2000 - 2015
A stupendous effort, and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, La Mondotte's 1997 boasts a saturated purple color as well as an explosive nose of blackberries, violets, minerals, and sweet toasty oak. Huge and massive, yet gorgeously proportioned, it possesses an unctuous texture with no hard edges. Seductive and easy to drink, it should be consumed between now and 2015.