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Description
Tasting notes

Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2023 Trotanoy is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, rose petals, baking chocolate, spices and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and elegantly muscular palate that's rich, dense and powerful, while remaining unusually sensual and harmonious for the standards of an estate that can sometimes produce hulking, monolithic wines. Concentrated and penetrating, it's an especially strong performer this year.

Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2023 Trotanoy is a potent, virile wine. A blast of dark red fruit meets notes of iron, sage, tobacco, cedar, blood orange and menthol, saturating the palate. Vertical tannins frame it all, giving Trotanoy its distinctive feel. The 2023 will need some time to come together, but it is impressive. Explosive and deep, the 2023 is simply magnificent.

Reviewed by: James Suckling
The focus and polish are so enticing, reminding me of a seamless piece of the finest cashmere. Medium to full body with blackberry, tapenade and dark-chocolate character. A hint of salt at the end. 100% merlot.

Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing
Entirely crafted from Merlot and matured in 50% new oak, the 2023 Trotanoy has turned out superbly, revealing a perfumed, complex bouquet of dark berries, rose petals, incense and pencil shavings. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it is built around a multidimensional core of fruit framed by structured tannins, yet it remains remarkably sensual and velvety in texture. It may well surprise after several years in the cellar.
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.