Château Trotanoy 2016

Clive Coates MW once wrote: "After Château Pétrus, which property produces the best wine in Pomerol? Historically, number two was Vieux Château Certain... Others, though, would cite Château Trotanoy."

The founders of Château Trotanoy clearly had a very good sense of humor.  The name, Trotanoy, derives its name the French term, “trop ennui,” which loosely translates to, “too much to bother with,” or even, “boring.” This is because the soil at the estate was considered too hard and difficult to cultivate.  With all that in mind, if one experiences the wine of this fabulous estate, they will see that Château Trotanoy is anything but boring.  In fact, they will understand that the grand vin of Château Trotanoy proves cultivating such difficult terroir is very much worth the effort.
 
The vineyards of Château Trotanoy were planted in 1761, by the Giraud family who also have holdings in the Rhône valley, more specifically the Châteauneuf de Pape AOC.  The Giraud family were quite successful vignerons on the Right Bank.  Château Trotanoy had a prestigious reputation, coming in second after Château Vieux Château Certan.  Prior to the start of the 20th Century, Château Trotanoy was a bit larger than it is today, coming in at approximately 25-hectares.  It was sectioned off and sold and by the end of the tumultuous time of World War II, descendants of the Giraud family sold Château Trotanoy.  The vineyards were acquired by Jean-Pierre Moueix, of the legendary Moueix family.  The Moueix family is well known for running top tier Pomerol estates such as Château La Fleur Pétrus, Château Latour a Pomerol and Château Lagrange.
 
The philosophy of the Moueix family is about giving the utmost respect to nature and cultivating great fruit. The vineyard is on the Western side of the Pomerol plateau, and the estate has some great neighbors like Château Pétrus and Château Lafleur.  The climate is slightly warmer here than other parts of the Pomerol plateau, and Château Trotanoy tends to harvest a bit earlier than other estates in this region.  In terms of terroir, it is a mixture of rich black clay with gravel filled with iron deposits.  Elevation is fairly high here, coming in at close to 40 meters.  The vineyard is planted with 88 percent Merlot and 12 percent Cabernet Franc.  There has been a slight increase in Merlot plantings since the mid 1990s, and the vines are 35 years old on average.  Some of the parcels at Château Trotanoy do have extremely old vines, some of which are more than 60 years of age.  The wines are vinified in traditional temperature controlled concrete vats before being aged in 40 to 50 percent New French oak prior to being bottled.

The wine is opulent and one of the more highly concentrated expressions of the grand vins from Pomerol. The wine is extraordinarily decadent, with a sensuous purity of fruit.   Because of its power and intensity, a bottle of Château Trotanoy needs 12 to 15 years aging in good vintages for it to soften and reveal its unique complexities.  Younger vintages should be decanted for two to three hours or more so the wine can express itself to its fullest potential.

"Composed of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Trotanoy is characteristically a little closed at this youthful stage, slowly unfurling to reveal compelling notions of chocolate-covered cherries, black raspberries and mulberries with touches of pencil lead, crushed rocks, underbrush and chargrill plus a fragrant waft of star anise. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and invigorating freshness supporting the densely packed, muscular fruits, finishing very long and mineral laced." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, (11/30/2018, Interim Issue), Rating: 99. Drink: 2028-2055

"The 2016 Trotanoy is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc this year. It easily possesses the finest bouquet within the J-P Moueix portfolio. It blossoms in the glass with exuberant black and red fruit infused with minerals, black truffle and a hint of blood orange, yet there is always something enigmatic about Trotanoy at this primordial stage, something on which you cannot put your finger. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structure, slightly chalky tannins surrounded by wondrous, vibrant black fruit that shimmers in the glass. It is a brilliant Trotanoy that is bound up with energy and tension. Superb from start to finish, this is likely to surpass the 2015 and is one of the stars of Pomerol this vintage." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, (4/28/2017, Issue 230), Rating: 96-98. Drink: 2028-2055