Wine Advisor
Trotanoy 1983
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine continues to be one of the most indifferent Trotanoy's made in the last thirty years. I am at a loss to understand why the 1983 is so muted, dull, and monolithic. It possesses a medium-ruby color, and a straightforward, indifferent nose of berry fruit and spices. Shallow but pleasant, with soft, uninspiring flavors presented in a compact, straightforward style, this wine finishes briskly. Given the vintage and the greatness of this vineyard, Trotanoy remains one of 1983's most notable disappointments. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Last tasted, 4/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1983 Trotanoy is a disappointment, and is the first of a succession of vintages for this famous property that produced wines of lesser quality than one might expect. The 1983 is a bit dull and light, and seems slightly out of balance, with an excess of tannin for the meager fruitiness. My rating may well turn out to be overly generous as this wine continues to evolve, since it seems to be losing fruit rather than filling out as I had hoped it might. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 1/89.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the 28-50 Pomerol off-line dinner. This is a very disappointing Trotanoy. It has a dull, enervated nose, very rustic with faint traces of cedar and furniture polish. But overall: bland. The palate is light-bodied with a husk of tannins and a gaping hole where the fruit should have been. Demonstrating some under-ripeness on the finish, this is a Trotanoy I would avoid. Past its best. Tasted November 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1983 Trotanoy is a disappointment, and is the first of a succession of vintages for this famous property that produced wines of lesser quality than one might expect. The 1983 is a bit dull and light, and seems slightly out of balance, with an excess of tannin for the meager fruitiness. My rating may well turn out to be overly generous as this wine continues to evolve, since it seems to be losing fruit rather than filling out as I had hoped it might. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 1/89.
About the Producer
Purchased by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1953, Château Trotanoy has been considered one of the premier crus of Pomerol since the end of the eighteenth century. The soil of Château Trotanoy is a very dense mixture of clay and gravel which tends to solidify as it dries out after rain to an almost concrete-like hardness, hence the name “Trotanoy,” or, in other words, “too wearisome” to cultivate. The Trotanoy vineyard slopes gently to the west. The soil at the highest point of exposure contains a good proportion of gravel, becoming progressively more dominated by clay as the elevation declines. Under this clay is a subsoil of red gravel and an impermeable layer of hard, iron-rich soil known as “crasse de fer.” This fascinating soil diversity brings power, depth and complexity to the wine. Trotanoy is vinified in small concrete vats, while aging takes place in oak barrels. Trotanoy is a naturally profound, complex, richly-concentrated wine with outstanding aging potential. The wine possesses a deep color and a dense, powerful nose, repeated on the palate with the addition of creamy, dark chocolate notes, and a singular concentration of flavor owed to its very old vines.
1966(1)1976(1)1979(1)1981(1)
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