| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This Saint Emilion property is owned by the Castéja family of Château Batailley. Quality has been impressive here in recent vintages. The vineyard is planted with 50% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc - some of which is over 100 years old - with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2025 is 51% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Merlot. Maturation in 100% new oak. Picked from 4th to 19th September.
The 2025 Trotte Vieille shows exceptional potential, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe blueberries, violets, subtle spices and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's deep, concentrated and refined, with lively acids, lovely purity and a long, penetrating finish. This limestone terroir on Saint-Emilion's plateau is really showing its pedigree, and it has produced one of the highlights of the vintage.
The 2025 Trotte Vieille was picked between September 4 and 19 at just over 30 hl/ha and matured entirely in new oak. The 51% Cabernet Franc drives the nose, so it errs more towards black, slightly peppery fruit, with touches of bay leaf and pencil box. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, pleasing edginess, moderate depth, more linear, fresh and sapid in style, with commendable minéralité towards the finish. This is a very well-crafted Saint-Émilion that will only get better with age, as testified by numerous vintages tasted over the years. Drink 2031-2045.
Deep magenta colour. You can sense the Cabernet Franc here, but it is ripe and full, with graphite and dark cherries coming together on top of the sweet and creamy, plummy fruit from Merlot. The texture is excellent, showing the refinement at this property in recent vintages. Velvet tannins prop up the sweet core of fruit, with gentle waves of acidity keeping everything vibrant. There are flashes of sweet wood that give this a touch of modernity, but this is as good a barrel sample from this property as I can remember.
Extremely fine tannins that fade into the palate, with seductive dark fruit flavors and a citrus aftertaste. It’s all about elegance and structure in this wine. 51% cabernet franc, 46% merlot and 3% cabernet sauvignon.
Inky with violet edging, vibrant and concentrated, iris and wet stones, pumice, chamomile, peony, rose bud, this is an excellent wine that has a serious edge to it, tightly knitted down tannins that are plentiful, waves crushed mint, slow and steady progression through the palate, there are a ton of tannins here and plenty of ageing potential. Pumice stone finish, sucks the juice out before returning it in a gulp. Harvest September 4 to 19. 100% new oak, 27hl/h yields because lots of old vines. The estate will be making 130 bottles as usual of their 100% old vine Cabernet Franc, with the rest of these pre-Phylloxera vines going in here. 2032-2052.
The 2025 Trotte Vieille soars out of the glass. Freshly cut flowers, mocha, dried herbs, menthol and espresso meld into a core of rich, deeply layered dark fruit. Trotte Vieille is a rare Saint-Émilion that features Cabernet Franc. All of that intensely floral/savory character (and the matching structure) is in evidence today. The 2025 builds beautifully in the glass, revealing myriad dimensions of intensity. Blue-toned fruit, gravel, cloves, lavender, licorice and espresso linger. The only question is how long the 2025 is going to need. 2035 - 2065
