When we tasted the 2000 Mangot we flipped — Not only because of the extremely high quality and aging potential from one of the best years in recent memory, but because it was not "internationalized". While many of its Bordeaux counterparts are over-manipulated, the Mangot classicly European in style and a genuine expression of the terroir of St. Emilion.
While the Mangot estate neither seeks publicity in the United States nor attempts to have their wines rated, they have not avoided being discovered by intrepid French wine lovers (as well as Crush) and have received a number of accolades across the pond for their efforts in the now-famous 2000 vintage.
Here are my tasting notes on this incredible wine: "Very stylish but still has formidable fruit and richness. Fantastic sense of place, with classic St. Emilion herbaceousness in full bloom. Wonderful stony minerality that really clamps down on the finish reminding me of Ausone [ed. the famous chateau]. The fruit is intense with lots of ripe plums coated in a woodsy not woody leafiness. A St. Estephe meets St. Emilion. Great detail and precision here and just an unbelievable amount of complexity. Tannic and structured, drink now with a generous decant or cellar for 20+."
The Mangot is a perfect cellar starter, an excellent gift for a friend whose child was born in 2000, or just a great way to add top-notch Right Bank Bordeaux to your collection.
Where in the World?
Mangot is located in St. Emilion right next to the super-cult 'garagiste' Valandraud and has virtually the same soil composition, with the predominant type being limestone (click the map above for a detailed view).
While the famed Valandarud and Mangot share similar terroir, they majorly differ in the style. Valandraud is thoroughly modern with lavish oak treatment while a maximum of 30% new oak is used in the Mangot with the rest being older barrels that do not overwhelm the wine with oak.
The Valendraud has huge extract and concentration, whereas the Mangot is more restrained, elegant, and classic in style, with all of the stuffing you would expect from the Right Bank.
To Drink or Not To Drink?
When tasting the Mangot we let it open up in the glass over a few hours, and then in the bottle overnight to truly get a sense of how the wine will age.
Our verdict: while certainly drinkable now with a generous decant, the Mangot has major structure and will reward the patient with an incredible drinking experience in 5, 10, 15, and even 20+ years.