Wine Advisor
Trotanoy 1989
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Trotanoy 1989 seems to be over-shadowed by the 1990, but this is easily the finest bottle that I have encountered. It is blessed with an ethereal bouquet of black truffle and white fennel that blossoms with minimal encouragement, a melted set of aromatics that dovetail into one another. The palate is powerful in the scheme of things, though it does not have the ambition or bravura of the 1990. Yet how can you resist those copious kirsch, allspice and orange peel notes on the finish that has exquisite focus. Find a good bottle of this Trotanoy and you will have yourself a sublime Pomerol that is a point. Tasted December 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1989 displays a ruby/purple color and a promising aroma of ripe cassis fruit gently kissed by oak. This broad-shouldered Trotanoy may reassure some of the disappointed fans of this property that the indifferent results in 1983, 1984, and 1986 were a fluke. I suspect the 1989 Trotanoy will drink well in spite of the high tannin level. I could not help but notice the weedy, herbaceous component to the wine's fruit since bottling. Anticipated maturity: 1994-2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Trotanoy's 1989 is an elegant, mature wine revealing a deep ruby color with some amber at the edge. Sweet, ripe fruit in the nose reveals hints of herbes de Provence, black olives, and cedar. Round, elegant, and medium-bodied, this fruity, soft, easy to drink and understand wine should be consumed over the next 10-12 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Does the 1989 suggest the beginning of the resurrection of Trotanoy? While it may be the finest Trotanoy since the heroic 1982, it still lacks the profound richness this wine exhibited in top vintages during much of the post-World War II era. Opaque ruby/purple, with a promising aroma of ripe cassis fruit gently kissed by oak, this broad-shouldered Trotanoy should go a long way toward reassuring fans of this property's wines following the indifferent results in 1983, 1984, and 1986. More alcoholic and tannic than the 1982, but less concentrated and lower in acidity, I suspect the 1989 Trotanoy will drink extremely well young in spite of the high tannin level. I could not help but notice the weedy, herbaceous component to the wine's fruit since bottling. Anticipated maturity: 1994-2010. Tasted five times. Consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 1989 Trotanoy has long been a variable wine. Now at 27 years of age, the bouquet is clearly fully mature with attractive, if not powerful scents of warm gravel, truffle and clove. You would describe it as a "mellow" nose, although it does not possess the fruit intensity of the 1990. The palate is, again, fully mature with grainy tannin. It is not a deep Trotanoy, although it is nicely balanced with a pinch of black pepper towards the masculine finish. It is a pleasurable Pomerol, however, given the benevolent growing season and the heights of Petrus or Lafleur, it falls well short of what could have been achieved. Tasted November 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A very delicate, elegant wine that has reached full maturity, again the notes of baked herbs, even tapenade are intermixed with sweet and sour cherries. Medium-bodied, soft, and easy to drink, this rather lightweight Trotanoy need to be consumed over the next decade. Last tasted, 2/02.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Trotanoy dinner at Sketch in London. This is the first time that I have tasted the 1989 vintage of Trotanoy. It has a well-defined bouquet of damson and leather that is one-dimensional at first, but it opens with aeration, offering secondary aromas of Provencal herbs and roasted chestnut. The palate is a little pinched on the entry and to be frank it never really coalesces as truly great wines from this estate are inclined to. There is a saline touch towards the commendable but leafy finish, but I feel that this does not possess the elan of say, l'Evangile or La Conseillante. Tasted September 2012.
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)1983(1)
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