| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Bellevue Mondotte
Even in a vintage such as 2003 there are wines that are youthful, unevolved and still in need of bottle age. The 2003 Bellevue Mondotte is one of those wines. From a tiny (5 acres) estate owned by Gerard Perse, this blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits youthful aromas of blue and black fruits, chalk dust, lead pencil shavings and Christmas fruitcake. Full, ripe and moderately tannic, it requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and could turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, lasting another 25-30 years. Drink 2014-2047
Beautiful aromas of blackberry, coffee and cherry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft, round tannins and a long, rich finish. Supersilky. Best after 2007.
An exquisite jewel in Chantal and Gerard Perse’s Right Bank empire, Bellevue-Mondotte is a tiny, 5-acre parcel of 45-year-old vines planted on the limestone plateau above Pavie-Decesse and Pavie-Macquin. It is composed of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. I tasted the 2003 on three separate occasions, one of which merited a three-digit rating. Sadly, there are only 4,000 bottles of this prodigious effort. Possessing relatively high alcohol (14.5%) for a Bordeaux, it is an amazing blend made from 15 hectoliters per hectare. A dense, viscous-looking purple color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of blackberries, espresso roast, fried lard, and pain grille. Full-bodied and massively rich with decent acidity and plenty of structure as well as tannin, this youthful 2003 should hit its stride in 3-5 years, and last for three decades. This may be what the great 1929s or 1947s tasted like at age three.
Microscopic yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare and a seven week maceration have produced 4,000 bottles of wine with a whoppingly high (by Bordeaux standards) 13.5% alcohol. Although it does not possess the complexity and minerality of Pavie, it is a beautiful effort offering pure decadence, extravagant richness, and a voluptuous, full-bodied style. A lovely nose of flowers, blackberries, cherry liqueur, cedar, and spice box is accompanied by an opulent, viscous claret with surprising freshness as well as elegance. This large-scaled 2003 has low acidity, and thus can be drunk young or cellared for 15+ years.
A 5-acre jewel purchased by Gerard and Chantal Perse recently, this vineyard is planted on pure limestone soils above Pavie-Decesse and Pavie-Macquin. The average age of the vines is 45 years. Made from microscopic yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare, the 2003 (4,000 bottles produced) is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a dense ruby/purple-colored, full-bodied effort of formidable intensity. With provocative notes of melted licorice, incense, Asian spices, and blackberry as well as cherry liqueur, it possesses moderately high tannin but low acidity. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.
