Wine Advisor
Trotanoy 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2005 Trotanoy is still a very young wine. Even so, it has aged exquisitely, with all of the elements very nicely balanced. There is plenty of the tannic heft that is typical of this site, but the tannins are very well integrated into the wine's fabric. Cedar, dried flowers, iron red berry fruit, mocha and dark reddish-leaning fruit all open with time in the glass. The stress of the warm, dry vintage is felt in the wine's searing tannins. I would cellar the 2005 for at least a few years, and then give it a good decanting to help those tannins soften a bit. Tasted two times.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(a blend of 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.5 pH; IPT 75;13.9% alcohol): Saturated ruby-red. Pure, fresh aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry, mocha and licorice, lifted by a whiff of violet. Dense, sweet and stuffed with fruit, offering liqueur-like flavors of black cherry and mocha; remains very light on its feet thanks to wonderfully vibrant, harmonious acidity. For such a strapping wine, this boasts very good energy and noteworthy precision. Finishes long and ripely tannic, with repeating notes of milk chocolate and violet. Jean-Claude Berrouet considers this to be an absolutely classic Trotanoy. I couldn't agree more: it ought to prove to be one of the best 15 or 20 wines of a stellar vintage.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2005 Trotanoy replicated its previous showings. It still has a dense, almost impenetrable bouquet, layer upon layer of intense red fruit lacked with bay leaf, black truffle, those iris and violets (particularly the first on this occasion.) The palate is even more structured here than I remember it in Hong Kong back in November 2016: huge backbone, great depth but everything is alleviated by the silver thread of acidity. I would not go near this for another decade but to repeat my previous sentiments – what enormous potential. Served by Christian Moueix at lunch.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good bright, dark red. Sexy red berries, iron, mocha and caramel on the nose; an essence of Pomerol merlot. Suave on entry, then sweet but gripping in the middle, with integrated acidity giving terrific definition and thrust to the multifaceted flavors of red berries, minerals, iron and spices. A wonderfully vibrant wine that saturates the entire palate without conveying any impression of weight. With its finishing medicinal austerity, this outstanding wine appears already to be shutting down in bottle. Should prove to be the most exciting vintage for this chateau since the great 1998.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good full ruby-red. Ineffably sexy nose combines red cherry, raspberry, tar, iron, mocha, rose petal, toffee and smoke, plus a hint of fruit liqueur. Then bright, high-pitched and tightly wound, with captivating purity and flavor definition. Wonderfully sweet and creamy but remains light on its feet. Finishes with very suave tannins and terrific grip and building length. In its class and finishing complexity, this young sample reminded me of the 1998 Trotanoy, one of my favorite Pomerols of the past 20 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This blockbuster 2005 is dense ruby/purple, with sweet black cherries, cassis, earth and white chocolate in both aromas and flavors. A strong, mineral-dominated, powerful wine (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc), it is extremely backward, super-concentrated, and tasting more like blood of Merlot than any other Pomerol. Dense purple, super-rich, and stunning, this wine has at least a 20- to 30-year upside to it. An absolutely spectacular effort from this great terroir, it can be drunk now, but patience will be rewarded. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Earthy, sweet black cherries dominate this powerful, virile 2005 Trotanoy. It reveals huge tannin, massive concentration, and formidable depth and intensity. While it may not achieve the greatness of the 1998, it is a stunning wine built for those with considerable patience. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Trotanoy has hit a sweet patch over the last two vintages. The nose is surly and backward like many of Moueix wines, but there is awesome delineation: minerally, violets. The palate is beautifully structured, more feminine than Petrus, wonderful balance with a natural feel to it. A wine not trying too hard to impress: it does not have to. A dash of white pepper on the finish, very very long. Superb. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2005 Trotanoy has been an awesome Pomerol since birth. Now at 12 years old, the "giant" is beginning to flex its muscles. It has more red than black fruit, more floral than the likes of the 2000 or 2001, beautifully defined with raspberry coulis, wild strawberry, clove and bay leaf, iris and violet unfurling with continued aeration. The palate has a pleasurable grainy texture and fine salinity. The acidity is extremely well judged, and there is the structure and backbone, perhaps even the stubbornness that defines this great vineyard. There is enormous potential here. Tasted November 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A closed, muscular, masculine, tannic effort, the 2005 Trotanoy reveals scents of crushed rocks, new saddle leather, roasted meats, black cherries, and charcoal. Medium-bodied, dense, ruggedly built as well as deep, it will be a long-lived Pomerol, but will offer little charm in its youth. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2026.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Complex aromas of sweet black cherries, loamy soil, roasted herbs, coffee, chocolate, and oak dominate the backward, muscular, virile 2005 Trotanoy. Deep ruby/purple to the rim, this broodingly backward, deep Pomerol exhibits admirable intensity, impressive purity, and a long, concentrated finish. Its character is similar to that of the 1998, but with more structure and tannin. I suspect my score will prove to be conservative after a decade of bottle age. Along with Petrus and Lafleur, Trotanoy is the most backward of all the Pomerols. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château Trotanoy 2005 has a tough job following the La Conseillante ’05 – this is far more broody and taciturn (as usual) with blackberry, black truffle, a touch of boot polish and lavender. But those aromas are being kept on a very tight leash. The palate is medium-bodied and deceptively complex with beautifully judged acidity, hints of cured meat infusing the red berry fruit, fanning out gently with hints of Provençal herbs and dried blood. This is an understated Trotanoy, perhaps one that might be shouted over by the more “vociferous” Right Bank wine – but it is one of the most nuanced Pomerol ‘05s.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at Southwold. A fabulous Trotanoy that harks back to the glory days. It has a smoky earthy, sous-bois nose with touches of damp moss and liquorices. Good definition and complexity. The palate is very ripe with good weight, fine acidity, mulberry and liquorices towards the finish with an earthy quality just waiting side of stage. Nice harmony and length. Well crafted and full of character. Drink 2015-2030+ Tasted January 2009.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This has a captivating nose of blueberries, spices, and fresh lilacs. On the palate this offers a full body, serious intensity, and great acidity and richness. This is a wonderful wine that shows great contrast and wildness.
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.
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