Château Trotte Vieille 2016

Once again, it impresses with its elegance and finesse, its distinctive freshness and tension, and a beautifully long finish: it will mature into an exquisite bottle.

This has a well-built core of loganberry, plum and black cherry preserve flavors infused with savory and tobacco nuances. The finish is lightly dusty but refined, with a subtle iron twinge filtering in. Not quite as much range or drive as the top examples, but pretty. Best from 2022 through 2037. 2,000 cases made.

The 2016 Trotte Vieille is blessed with a finely tuned bouquet of brambly red berry fruit, orange pith and light rose petal scents that unfurl with aeration. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and pliant, with a gorgeous, silky finish that feels very persistent. This is an utterly charming and noble Saint-Émilion. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Elegant, fresh, lively, medium to full-bodied and loaded with ripe, sweet, juicy red and black fruits with real persistence, this is one of the best vintages of Trotte Vieille ever produced. The wine is made from a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark ruby, purple reflections and slight brightening at the rim. A delicately herbal, savoury nose supported by ripe plum fruit, with hints of dried fruit and chocolate. On the palate, spicy, ripe cherry, integrated tannins, good freshness, elegant and long, with a touch of nougat on the finish.

From a great terroir on the upper plateau (not far from Troplong Mondot) and very old vines, the 2016 Château Trotte Vieille is a classic Saint-Emilion that has juicy dark fruits, leafy herbs, forest floor, and underbrush aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, pretty, elegant, and finesse-driven, it has fine tannins and a balanced style that’s going to evolve nicely for 15+ years or more.

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.

The tight, ample texture (53% Cabernet Franc) gives the vintage the cool character of 2016. A very square-cut wine with notes of black tea, zan, and licorice.

Very lovely red fruit, Zan, old rosé, floral. Broad, straight, precise palate; crunchy juice, elegant, precise tannins. Superb wine.

Purple with violet hues. Trotte Vieille 2016 stands out for a very authentic bouquet, uniquely its own, that so clearly defines its character year after year. Floral and fruity notes with wafts of violets, blueberries, and eucalyptus. What an attack on the palate! Freshness marks the entire palate while harmonizing with the other components. Thus, the palate is perfectly balanced and ideally combines the power and pedigree bestowed by compact tannins and a lively structure. The latter underscores the fruit expression right through to the finish and brilliantly reminds us that a dominance of Cabernet Franc in St-Emilion has its raison d’être depending on the terroirs (even if we know it, it’s always good to be reminded). What a great wine!

Floral dried herbs, liquorice and black fruit on the nose — very TrotteVieille in aromatic profile. Sweet, ripe, fresh blackcurrants and strawberries deliver both bite and tang as well as succulence and a fleshy texture. Juicy, round, sumptuous — you sense the power, but the tannins are so fine and sleek, so delicate and effortless. Characterful with tons of personality, lots of black liquorice and a lean, salty, mineral, graphite and flint undertone — you really feel the sculpting here yet nothing feels overdone. Still a baby, but this wine has huge potential — remarkably you can drink it now, and with time it will only get better.