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Trottevieille 2016

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

This Saint Emilion property is owned by the Casteja family of Chateau Batailley. Quality has been impressive here in recent vintages.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Trotte Vieille

Label

Tasting Notes

Complex aromas of blackberries, dried flowers and other dark fruit. Shows hints of cedar and blackberries. Full-bodied, dense and wonderfully integrated with rich tannins that just melt into the wine. Extremely fine and focused finish. Shows harmony and balance. Better after 2024.

98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2019

The 2016 Trotte Vieille has a deep garnet color. It strolls out with vivacious notes of black cherries and stewed black plums, followed by hints of licorice, crushed rocks, and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bright and refreshing, delivering plush tannins to the layers of pure black fruits, finishing on a mineral note.

95
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

A striking start to this wine as the ripe black fruits bristle then soften against the tannic structure, held carefully through the mid-palate and then lifted up on the finish to reveal their juiciness. Aromatic freshness combines with flavours of bitter dark chocolate, tight black cherries, slate and mineral notes. The 100% new oak is barely discernible except for a very light edge of charred cedar. I like this very much. 53% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, .

Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

94
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2017

Dark crimson. Quite appetising on the nose. Well judged. Not dramatic and verging on stringy but at least it's not OTT. If it could just move to being very slightly riper phenolically it would be a lovely wine. Drying finish.
Drink 2024-2038

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2017

The fruit on the nose is fragrant and fresh the palate sweet with ripe fruit mid generosity. Fine tannins underpin the ripe fruit gives silky smoothness at the back the finish tends to let it down slightly dry and lacking length. 2025-36

87/90
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2017

A wine that carries its 100% new oak lightly, especially at this young age, this is a serious, concentrated St Emilion that’s built for the longer haul, but already shows the poise, texture and filigree tannins that define the Trottevieille style. 2024-32

96
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2017
Read more tasting notes...

The 2016 Trottevieille is a blend of 45% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 53% Cabernet Franc picked on 6 October for the Merlot and 18 October for the Cabernets, one of the latest in recent years. The yield was 37 hectoliters per hectare, and it is matured entirely in new oak. The bouquet is quite intense, although personally I would have employed less new oak. However, it does open up nicely in the glass and imparts nuances such as orange blossom and incense aromas with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well judged acidity, and here I feel the oak is simpatico with the fruit. It has a lovely grainy texture, great depth and maintains precision all the way through to the finish. This is a strong follow-up to the 2015 Trottevieille although it will require several years in bottle to subsume the oak.
Drink Date 2025 - 2050

93/95
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (230), April 2017

The polish and intensity to this are really impressive with such finesse and balance. Full-bodied yet tight and gorgeous. Tight and reserved. Such ethereal beauty. Finish goes on for minutes.

97/98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2017
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.