Wine Advisor
Trotanoy 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An absolutely prodigious wine, the dense purple 2009 Trotanoy exudes extraordinary notes of minerals, forest floor, sweet black currants and black cherry jam along with floral notes and graphite. Very full-bodied, with silky tannins, fabulous opulence and palate presence, this terrific wine should be at its best in 7-10 years and last for 20 or more. Think of it as a more concentrated, “bigger” version of the extraordinary 1998. For the first time at Trotanoy, 500 cases of a second wine were produced from 100% Merlot from a parcel that is often excluded from the final blend.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at JP Moueix. This has a super-concentrated nose with vibrant black fruits, black cherries, a touch of graphite and smoke, billowing with aeration. Very well defined and controlled. Hints of Xmas cake developing with time. The palate is full-bodied with thick, almost chewy tannins, but exquisite balance and harmony, this represents a Trotanoy that wants to make a big impression...and it does. Rounded, intense black, earthy/clayey fruit towards the finish that has immense persistency. Gargantuan! Tasted April 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
I don’t know what the 1961 Trotanoy tasted like in its youth, but the 2009 unquestionably surpasses the 1982 (which was the finest effort since the 1961) and eclipses anything made since. By far the greatest Trotanoy of my professional career, the 2009 boasts a dense plum/purple color as well as a meaty, earthy nose buttressed by enormous quantities of black fruits, cherries, and spice. Abundant glycerin, viscosity, purity, and elegance are all part of this massive, exuberant, powerful Trotanoy. One of the most prodigious wines of the vintage, it should come into its own in 8-10 years, and last 30-40 years thereafter. (Tasted once.)
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2009 Trotanoy has long been one of the standout Pomerols in what was a fecund year for the appellation. This bottle reaffirmed previous reviews, although the aromatics were perhaps a little more immediate with blackberry, roasted chestnut and truffles, just a touch of glycerin, all delivered with fabulous precision. The oak is more assimilated on the palate that still feels succulent. But, look a little further and there is real backbone cloaked by all that fruit, plus there is awe-inspiring persistence on the finish that just lacquers the mouth. Stupendous! Tasted November 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the offices of JP Moueix. As usual, I give the Trotanoy five minutes to open up, pouring from one glass to another. Initially you get the Merlot but aeration allows the Cabernet Franc to really express itself with cerebral aromas of undergrowth, minerals and some savoury, almost “Marmite” like aromas. Mercurial. The palate is medium-bodied with super-fine, filigree tannins but there is wave after wave of intense black, tertiary fruit with a Leviathan finish that goes on and one, with touches of allspice and black truffle on the aftertaste. This is a stunning Trotanoy. Tasted September 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. What a fabulous Pomerol this is. The nose creeps up on you, dishing out blackberry, pain grille and fruitcake, later chestnuts, unfurling slowing in the glass. It is soft and bashful. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is succulent and ripe with toasty oak towards the chestnut tinged finish that will need further bottle age to integrate. There is a wonderful peppery note on the aftertaste. Is this the Trotanoy that dares to challenge the supremacy of Petrus? Pourquoi pas! Tasted January 2013.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Full, deep red-ruby. Sexy aromas of ripe strawberry, chocolate-covered raspberry, mocha and smoke are nicely lifted by a whiff of pure violet. Captivating and exotic Pomerol, with lush flavors of superripe raspberry, roasted meat and musky coffee. In spite of its juicy sweetness, this is rather backward today, with substantial brooding tannins calling for years of patience. Unbelievably seamless and powerful, this enchanting wine's finish goes on for minutes. A monumental Trotanoy that has the perfume of a grand cru Burgundy.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2009 Trotanoy has a broody and what feels like Cabernet-driven bouquet, well defined with touches of cigar box and forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, taut red berry fruit laced with sage, white pepper, hints of fennel and a refreshingly saline finish. This is very promising although, it does not quite possess the persistence of its peers. Sultry, almost saturnine...I guess this is Trotanoy? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of black raspberry, mocha and iron, plus a whiff of beefsteak tomato. Then superripe, plush and seriously rich on the palate; began with a faint bitterness but grew fresher and more shapely with aeration. Really fills the mouth with dark cherry, underbrush and mineral flavors. Finishes with substantial talc-like tannins and terrific rising length. Ultimately very classy, but I'd cellar this for eight or ten years.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This was one of the few vineyards picked 100 percent before the rain. It has a phenomenal nose, with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Perfect. The concentration is phenomenal, and paired with great depth and charm, it goes on for minutes. I am shocked. I underestimated this the first time I tasted it from barrel. Barrel sample.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This has a phenomenal nose, with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Perfect. The concentration is phenomenal, and paired with great depth and charm, it goes on for minutes. I am shocked. I underestimated this the first time I tasted it from barrel. Barrel sample.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Aromas of green and black olives with hints of dried dark fruits. Then cocoa undertones. Full bodied with lots of super fine and silky tannins and a long caressing finish. It is very subdued now. Very pretty. Try after 2020.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Aromas of green and black olives with hints of dried dark fruits. Then cocoa undertones. Full bodied with lots of super fine and silky tannins and a long caressing finish. It is very subdued now. Very pretty. Try after 2020.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A deep nose of blueberries, with chocolate mousse that turns to licorice and hints of rose petal. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins that fill your mouth. But they are always soft and caressing. They last for minutes. I love the texture to this wine; it is like plush velvet. Best in 2018, but so inviting now.
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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