...Made in an elegant surprisingly low key style for La Mondotte the concentrated delicious opaque purple-colored 2001 builds incrementally on the palate. An impressive bouquet of black cherries creme de cassis toast and minerals is followed by a medium to full-bodied effort with nicely integrated wood acidity and tannin as well as a long finish. This is a brilliant wine and one of the finest efforts of the vintage...

The 2001 La Mondotte, which I had tasted twice before, has a pleasant bouquet of raspberry coulis and crushed strawberry scents, hints of peppermint and orange blossom emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with simple red berry fruit, maraschino cherries and touches of blueberry, fine acidity and dark chocolate and espresso notes toward the finish. This was always a more elegant style of La Mondotte, one that did not appeal to me in its youth, but does now. Cropped at 20hl/ha and matured in 100% new oak for 18 months. -- Neal Martin