Château Trotte Vieille 2018

Special Price $99.85 Average US Price $110.00
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SKU
5444-2018
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• Domaine: Château Trotte Vieille
• Appellation: Saint-Emilion
• Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé B
• Origin: Right Bank, Bordeaux, France

Château Trotte Vieille is one of the oldest estates in Saint-Émilion – with records of the property’s inception as a working winery dating back to 1453.  Though there were some vineyards in the region that dated back to the Roman Era, there are very few reports of working wineries with a history as long-lived as that of Château Trotte Vieille.  The wines from this Saint-Émilion Premiere Grand Cru Classé B are remarkably ageable yet approachable while young.  Critics such as James Suckling consider Château Trotte Vieille one of the more underrated Saint-Émilion First Growth estates – and that might very much be true.  Regardless, with ever increasing scores and recognition, Château Trotte Vieille is surely a must for any savvy wine buyer. 

The story of how the estate derives its name is a colorfully comedic one.  Centuries ago, an old woman – who was quite the gossip – lived on the property.  She knew everything about everyone and was always trotting around town prattling on about the latest scandal.  Perhaps she was lonely living on such a vast estate all by herself – who knows – but either way, whenever a Stagecoach would arrive at the end of the long drive, the Old Woman would trot over to the Coach and share the latest stories on everyone’s business in Saint-Émilion.  Local townspeople would call her, “Old Trot,” or Trotte Vieille and the name stuck.  

Yet despite this charming story, the wines of Château Trotte Vieille are meant to be taken seriously.  Château Trotte Vieille was purchased by Marcel Borie, the head of a negociant called Borie-Manoux in 1949.  Marcel gave the property to his son-in-law, Emille Castéja to manage it, and it has been managed by the Castéjas ever since.  Château Trotte Vieille is currently being run by Phillippe Castéja.  The estate has some impressive terroir of clay mixed with limestone soil, and the vineyard is planted in one single block – something quite unusual in the Right Bank appellation of Saint-Émilion.  The plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon are a bit on the older side – ranging from 50 to 100 years old.  

Perhaps one of the more unique aspects of Château Trotte Vieille are the small amount pre-phylloxera vines that are 150 years of age.  This is quite a rare occurrence, as phylloxera – a parasitic wood louse that preys on wine grapes – nearly devastated the entire production of Bordeaux wine during the late 1800s.  Somehow the vineyards at Château Trotte Vieille were lucky and managed to escape the phylloxera plague.  Interestingly enough, extremely limited quantity of wine is produced from a small selection of pre-phylloxera Cabernet Franc, but it’s only available at the tasting room.

The wine from Château Trotte Vielle is fresh, with a beautiful oceanic mineral quality from the limestone terroir, which is somewhat typical of Saint-Émilion.  The quality continues to improve with each passing vintage and is a worthy purchase for any Right Bank connoisseur. The wines of Château Trotte Vielle do require a bit of bottle ageing during good vintages.  They are fresh, with a beautiful oceanic mineral quality from the limestone terroir, which is somewhat typical of St-Émilion.  The quality of their Grand Vin continues to improve with each passing vintage and is a worthy purchase for any Right Bank connoisseur.

Tasting Notes

"The 2018 TrotteVieille is a super-intriguing wine. Aromatically deep and layered, the 2018 offers tremendous depth and textural finesse. Mocha, grilled herbs, black cherry, new leather and spice all wrap around the palate in a dense, racy Saint-Émilion. The blend is 54% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon." - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, (April, 2019), Ratings: 93-96

"There's a floral edge to the nose here that is clear from the start - the old Cabernet Franc vines and the limestone have served Trotte Vieille well in 2018. It has good juiciness, full of such beautiful signatures of the property, from its mineral, slatey character that scales the walls, to its creamy texture and brambly and raspberry jelly fruit, all finished off with a saline kick on the finish. Great stuff. 38hl/ha yield. 100% new oak" - Jane Anson, Decanter (4/1/2019), Ratings: 95

"A light touch has come into this typically serious wine. The bright acidity and forward black currant fruits lift the tannins and spice. It has delicious freshness and concentration that will allow the wine to develop well." - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (4/17/2019), Ratings: 95-97

"Coming from the upper plateau and always including lots of Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Trotte Vieille reveals a healthy ruby/purple color as well as elegant, complex notes of red and blue fruits, spring flowers, cedarwood, and violets. Beautifully balanced on the palate, it needs lots of air to show at its best, but it's medium to full-bodied and has a focused, firm texture, ripe tannins, and a beautiful finish. As always, this has an incredible floral character, and the purity of fruit is terrific. It needs 4-6 years in the cellar, but I suspect it will keep for 20 years or more. It's one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate." Jeb Dunnuck, 2018 Bordeaux From The Bottle (3/11/2021) Rating: 93

"Nez de caramel au lait et de cerise noire très caractéristique du cru, avec une pointe poivrée très salivante. La bouche marquée par ses 54% de cabernet franc et 2% de cabernet-sauvignon est l’une des plus stylées de Saint-Emilion, par son élégance et sa très grande fraîcheur. Après la mise en bouteille, il pourrait bien intégrer le top cinq de Saint-Emilion." - BETTANE & DESSEAUVE (5/3/2019), Ratings: 96-97


More Information
Stock Status In Stock
Appellation Saint-Emilion
Vintage 2018
Brand Château Trotte Vieille
Shipping Weight 3.000000

Saint-Émilion is one of the most prestigious wine appellations in the Bordeaux region of France, renowned for its exceptional red wines and rich viticultural history. Located on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, Saint-Émilion is a place of great beauty and a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its remarkable blend of natural and cultural attributes. The Saint-Émilion appellation is characterized by a diverse terroir featuring a mix of limestone, clay, and sandy soils that provide the foundation for its distinctive wines. The unique microclimates and elevations within the appellation contribute to the variety of flavors and styles found in Saint-Émilion wines.

The primary grape varieties used in Saint-Émilion wines are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot often dominating the blends. These grapes thrive in the region's favorable climate, moderated by the proximity of the Dordogne River and the buffering effects of the limestone plateau.

Saint-Émilion is famous for its unique wine classification system, which divides the vineyards into four tiers: Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Grand Cru Classé, and Grand Cru. This classification reflects the quality and prestige of the individual vineyards and châteaux within the appellation, with only a select few achieving the highest ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Until the re-classification in 2022, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Angelus, and Château Pavie were the only four members of the Premier Grand Cru Classé A tier. Out of disagreement with the standard-setting governing body, Cheval Blanc and Ausone voluntarily dropped out. Angelus followed suit shortly after. With Pavie remaining the only member, Premier Grand Cru Classé A saw the addition of Château Figeac following a long-expected and well-deserved promotion.

Saint-Émilion wines are known for their finesse, complex aromas, and beautiful balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity. While they share some similarities with wines from the neighboring Pomerol appellation, they often have a slightly more structured and tannic character due to the higher proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends. With age, these wines develop a velvety texture and reveal an array of flavors, including dark fruits, floral notes, and hints of earthiness.

Footnotes on Futures, Pre-Arrivals, and potential US Tariffs: 

1. As of June 15, 2021, the US and the EU agreed to suspend tariffs resulting from the Boeing-Airbus aircraft trade disputes. Accordingly, such import taxes are now suspended for the next five years.

2. Futures are expected to be available for delivery two years after the sales (e.g., the 2022 vintage, sold in 2023, will be delivered in 2025 mostly, or 2026 if the producer ages the wine longer).

3. Pre-Arrivals are items currently stored in our Bordeaux cellar or in transit from France to the US. It usually takes 1-6 months for Pre-Arrivals to become available for delivery, depending on the stage of the import process.

4. Regarding futures and pre-arrivals, we cannot guarantee specific delivery dates, which factors beyond our control may impact. However, we will notify you once your wine arrives in our cellar.

5. While a buyer of Bordeaux wine futures locks in an allocation of the specified items, the final delivery of the purchased items from France to the US may be impacted by intervening and unforeseeable events. Despite our due diligence, additional costs or delays may be caused by such intervening and unforeseen events and "an irresistible, superhuman cause, or by the act of public enemies of the state of California or the United States."  In such circumstances, if a buyer does not accept unforeseeable costs or delays, the sole and exclusive remedy is a cancellation of the futures order concerned and a refund of the original purchase price. We are NOT liable for any lost profits on a canceled order.

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