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Trotanoy 2012

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Trotanoy

Label

Tasting Notes

A spectacular Pomerol that is dense ruby/purple with notes of beef blood, crème de cassis, black cherry liqueur, licorice, iron, and perhaps a touch of truffle. Full-bodied, opulent and clearly a blockbuster of 2012, this profound wine offers serious competition for Petrus and several other limited-production, high-quality Pomerols. This is a stunner from the Moueix firm and should age well for 20-25 years. The final blend was 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with only 2,000 cases produced. Drink: 2015 - 2040

96
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (218), April 2015

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux tasting. The 2012 Trotanoy is clearly blossoming in bottle. Over almost 20 years of tasting out of barrel, I cannot recall a Trotanoy that has so surpassed its showing at en primeur. It has a well-defined bouquet that initially seems straightforward. Don't be fooled...it opens in the glass and reveals subtle red berry fruit, truffle and ferrous aromas. There is stunning definition and poise here. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. There is a core of wonderful Cabernet Franc here, the acidity extremely well judged with a precise, sustained finish. This is a sophisticated Pomerol with élan and no more, no less than a fabulous Trotanoy. Tasted January 2016.

96
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com (227), October 2016

A red with dried strawberries, chocolate and hints of dried tomatoes. Full body, dense palate and a velvety tannin texture. Surprisingly rich and ripe for the vintage. Better in 2017.

92
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2015

Dark cherry red. Fine, dark, pure fruit. Dry and savoury and restrained. Highly polished but still has that elegant austerity that is the opposite of excessively sweet fruit. A little stalky on the finish but long. (JH)

17
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2013

97% Merlot, some 2500 cases are produced annually from this clay/gravel terroir near to Le Pin. Sweet cherry and plum fruit here. Beautifully rounded and silky. There are hints of Christmas cake, spice and vanilla. An intense black fruit and blueberry fruit character is balanced by creamy tannins. A dark and serious Pomerol but we slightly preferred La Fleur Petrus this year.

94
Farr Vintners, March 2013

This combines serious fruit and grip with a torrent of blackberry,
raspberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit notes, liberally laced with
smoldering charcoal and tobacco accents. The long, loamy edge
drives the finish, along with hints of bay and warm stones, while
the fruit pours through. A very serious effort for the vintage. Best
from 2018 through 2032.

96
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Insider, January 2015

The fruit on the nose is rich with lots of ripe black fruits on the palate. Black plum enriches the start but towards the back it is lighter with some red fruits the back palate feeling less concentrated. It is slightly lacking in complexity. 2019-36

91/93
Derek Smedley MW, April 2013

Trotanoy is a notch below La Fleur-Pétrus in the hierarchy of Moueix properties in 2012, but
maybe it just needs time to settle into itself. Firm and concentrated with slightly firm tannins,
some toasty oak, flavours of plum and currant and just a hint of bitterness, but with acidity lifting
the wine on the finish.
Drink: 2022-32

93
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2013
Read more tasting notes...

The blockbuster 2012 Trotanoy has more in common with the 2009 or 2010 than most 2012s do. It stands as an example of just how successful Pomerol was in 2012. A dense black/purple color is followed by a bouquet of minerals/crushed rocks, powerful, intense black currant, licorice, roasted meat, barbecue and truffle notes. Full-bodied and super-concentrated, it is an amazing tour de force in this irregular as well as challenging vintage. Trotanoy's 2012 should be on every connoisseur's buying list. It will require 5-8 years of cellaring when released, and should keep for 25-30 years, one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage.

96/98
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (206), April 2013

The Trotanoy 2012 was left to one side for several minutes to open up. It has immense purity on the nose with notes of dark cherries, boysenberry, dried orange peel and a touch of forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. Edouard Moueix wondered whether to place La Fleur-Petrus after Trotanoy this year and I think he has a valid point: the Trotanoy does not quite possess the length of La Fleur Petrus. But it is very focused...a "wired" Pomerol full of tension and unpredictability. Tasted April 2013.

91/93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, May 2013

Wow. This really builds on the palate. Starts off slowly but then gets more silky by the second. Full and juicy. Dark chocolate and nuts. Plenty of subtle fruit.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2013
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.