Wine Advisor
Trotanoy 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Ets J-P Moueix. The Trotanoy ’01 has a very deep garnet core with thin ruby/brick rim. The nose is broody and surly at first, gradually, reluctantly unfurling to reveal aromas of black cherries, blueberry, damson, dried herbs, gravel and just a hint of creme de menthe. Very fine definition. The palate is medium-bodied, firm tannins, superb freshness from start to finish. It has a very firm structure, the Merlot in the driving seat at the moment although the Cabernet Franc is sure to take over in the future. Very smooth texture on the finish, suppler than the entry but great depth with hints of damson and black olive tapenade on the aftertaste. Superb, although it does not quite have the weight of Petrus. Drink 2012-2030+ Tasted May 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This is more reticent on the nose, more austere and classic. Very fine balance and tension on the palate with firm grippy tannins. Masculine and broody but not as sophisticated as I would like. Tasted October 2007.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine has changed completely in the last year, adding weight and developing more muscle and power than I would have thought possible 12 months ago. It is broodingly deep, with a plum/purple color and a sweet nose of truffle-infused black cherries intermixed with notions of earth, cedar, and vanilla. In spite of its emerging, muscular intensity, it retains a sense of elegance as well as restraint. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. This has a very earthy bouquet with touches of rusty nail and undergrowth, but well defined if lacking a little vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannins on the entry, some leafy Cabernet Franc here. Good acidity, masculine with a slightly foursquare finish but fine length and dimension. This has more to give and indeed, returning after two hours this has retained such vigour and sinew...but it’s a bit of a beast at the moment. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This virile, muscular offering’s dense plum/garnet color is followed by aromas of saddle leather, undergrowth, and black fruits. Made in a brooding, medium-bodied, backward style for the vintage, it possesses good weight and richness, firm tannin, and a hint of truffles. Less charming and developed than La Fleur-Petrus, this powerful, structured 2001 requires 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 12-15.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Slightly deeper in colour compared to the 2003. A tight, reserved, conservative nose with scents of blackberry leaf, graphite again, damson. Good definition but rather subdued. Something Pauillac about the aromatics. Very harmonious, just a little hardness on the mid-palate with good acidity. Very backward, lacking a little exuberance and flesh. Cherry and a touch of plum on the leafy, Cabernet Franc flavoured finish. I expected more from such a fine Pomerol vintage. Drink 2010-2020. Tasted May 2007.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2001 Trotanoy is unquestionably a Pomerol that had to endure a difficult infancy before blossoming into the wine it is today. Indeed, both the reviews from Robert Parker and myself were lukewarm out of barrel and in its first few years, perhaps surprising considering the quality of 2001s in this appellation. Now with 15 years under its belt, it is developing far more complexity in aromatics, quite tertiary in style but with plenty of fruit and outstanding delineation. The palate is structured and firm, very focused with a tight grip in the mouth. Unusually, it is the 2000 Trotanoy that is more expressive at the moment since this 2001 is relatively broody and introspective compared to its peers. Yet there is so much energy palpable in this wine, plus a beguiling sense of harmony towards the finish. This is one to watch... Tasted November 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Trotanoy continues to improve with each passing year in bottle and now with 15 years on the clock, it is just beginning to entertain the idea of "drinkability"! It has a compelling bouquet with intense red and black fruit, quite ferrous like many Pomerols, perhaps showing a little more vigor compared to the bottle at ten years old. The palate is medium-bodied, full of grip and sinew, impressive length and dimension with a slightly grainy texture. Like most Trotanoys, it benefits from decanting and do not be afraid to give this 5-6 hours, because it still threatens to clam up on the vice-like finish. Superb, but patience is needed. Tasted September 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2001 Trotanoy, with considerable harmony, elegance, and medium weight, might evolve along the lines of the 1979 or the incredible 1967. It possesses a deep plum/ruby/purple color as well as a sweet nose of earth, truffles, black cherries, and currants, medium-bodied flavors, and impeccable purity. Tannin is present, but is not overdone. The wine is elegant, restrained, and subtle. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.71 pH; IPT 79; 13.3% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Ripe but still inexpressive on the nose, offering delicate aromas of red fruits, violet, crushed stone, menthol and wild herbs. Silky and round on entry, then rich and suave in the mid-palate, with a hint of smoky minerality nicely complementing the pure red and black fruit flavors. This is a marvelously balanced wine of great breed and purity. Finishes long, sweet and bright, with very smooth tannins and less of the earthy, leathery qualities found in some other Trotanoy vintages. The 2001 vintage saw a large crop but down slightly from the levels of 2000 and 1999. The growing season featured a wet winter, a fine spring, a dreary July, a warm August (though not as hot as 2000) and a cool but dry September, with low rainfall in August and September. The 2001 is a very pure, refined and classy expression of merlot--what Bordeaux can do so well, according to Jean-Claude Berrouet.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Trotanoy is a vintage that I tasted regularly in its youth, but had not encountered for five years. It has a very appealing nose of loamy earth/mulch-infused tarry black fruit, touches of mint coming through with aeration. The medium-bodied palate delivers a mixture of red and black fruit, a liberal dash of cracked black pepper, and some clove and sea salt. Showing very good complexity, this is harmonious and focused, albeit just a little rustic toward the grippy finish. It’s less broody than in its youth, but I would still afford it 3–5 more years in bottle.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Red-ruby. Vibrant aromas of cherry, rose petal and minerals. Suave and minerally in the mouth, with excellent intensity of flavor and firm spine. A bit youthfully withdrawn in the middle palate but opens out impressively on the back half, finishing with serious but fine tannins and terrific breadth and length. Very subtle Pomerol, in need of at least seven or eight years of additional cellaring.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby-red. Noble, highly perfumed aromas of liqueur-like red fruits, blackberry, blueberry, flowers and licorice. Lush, sweet and dense, with lovely verve and strong minerality. Very fresh and perfumed but also full and deep, finishing with chewy, ripe tannins and very good length.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby-red. Reticent aromas of cherry, raspberry, minerals, caramel and grilled nuts. Lively and penetrating, with rather crisp red berry flavors nicely framed by fresh acids. Long, subtle and classy on the back end, with serious but well-integrated tannins.
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)1989(2)1990(2)1993(1)1995(1)1996(5)1997(1)1998(1)1999(1)2000(13)
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