Chateau Trotanoy Pomerol 2013
(Bordeaux, France) - [WE 94] [WA 91-94]

About this Winery:

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.

About the Vineyard:

The first impression of Trotanoy’s soils is a sea of white pebbles, which shine piercingly in the sun. These retain heat, helping protect against frost. They also become treacherously slippery when wet, whilst the clay beneath bakes solid in dry summers – hence the name ‘Trotanoy’ from old French ‘trop ennuie’, meaning ‘too wearisome’, ‘too difficult’ to cultivate. The 7.2 hectares of vines here are planted partly on the western extremity of the plateau, partly on a west-facing slope. There is deep gravel at the top and progressively more clay as you descend. The subsoil contains sand and then a rock-hard layer of iron-rich soil, Pomerol’s famous crasse de fer. The last significant replanting was a parcel of Merlot in 2002. Old vines prevail, the average age being nearly 40 years. The plantings are 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, although the blend in 2022 is 96% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. On average, only 20,000 bottles are produced per year.

Ratings & Reviews:

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"This wine has a lot of class and elegance, along with firm tannins that show how well it will age. It is dark and concentrated, the black fruits still developing under the solid structure. This wine will age slowly, so wait until 2022." - Roger Voss (Jan 2016)

91-94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

"Only 1,000 cases of the 2013 Trotanoy were produced (about half of the usual production). One of the stars as well as a major sleeper of the vintage, it is an atypically big, rich, full-boned effort with enough tannin and depth to require 2-3 years of cellaring. There is lots of purity as well as a strong, underlying, earthy, iron-like component intermixed with plenty of black cherry and black currant fruit, and hints of licorice and truffles. This impressive medium to full-bodied wine is atypically concentrated and rich for the vintage. Drink it over the next 12-15 years." (Aug 2014)