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2003 Trotanoy
93 WS
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Review
This sports a warm fig bread and Christmas pudding profile, with steeped plum and fig notes lined with smoldering tobacco and humus accents. Slightly grainy in feel, but showing ample length and drive for the vintage.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2032. 1,250 cases made. Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator | 93 WS
Critic Reviews
Beautifully intense fruit here, with a raspberry jam and floral character on the nose. Full and round, soft and silky. A very long finish with amazing fruit, almost like a new world wine with it’s juiciness. Drinking this is pure excitement.
James Suckling | 93 JS
This sports a warm fig bread and Christmas pudding profile, with steeped plum and fig notes lined with smoldering tobacco and humus accents. Slightly grainy in feel, but showing ample length and drive for the vintage.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2032. 1,250 cases made.
Wine Spectator | 93 WS
As always, the 2003 Trotanoy is a meaty, burly style of wine, but the tannins have all been resolved. A dark plum/ruby color is accompanied by sweet black currant and mulberry notes intertwined with hints of truffles and earth. This medium- to full-bodied, delicious Pomerol is clearly one of the finest 2003s made in this appellation, whose lighter soils did not fare well in this vintage. Trotanoy’s clay and deep minerality have saved it. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.
Robert Parker | 92 RP
A wine which is dominated by sweet fruit, the sheer exuberance of the fruit dominating the huge, dark tannins. This will be a wonderful, intensely fruity wine.
Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE
(95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.67 pH; IPT 63;13.3% alcohol): Full medium ruby with a hint of garnet at the rim. Sexy aromas of superripe red cherry and blackberry, white pepper and mint. Then rich, creamy and fruit cocktail-like, with compelling sweetness to the red berry and marzipan flavors. This lush, seamless, impressively broad wine retains good verve in spite of its full ripeness and the extremely hot year. Finishes with slightly gritty tannins (an effect of the excessive heat that made full physiological ripeness of the polyphenols tough to achieve) and earth and leather notes. This is one of the few 2003 Bordeaux I truly like and recommend. In 2003, the harvest at Trotanoy began very early: the merlot was picked between September 2 and 4, and the cabernet franc on September 9. "In a year of furnace-like heat, we were able to preserve some freshness, which was our real merit," said Jean-Claude Berrouet.
Vinous Media | 91 VM
James Suckling | 93 JS
This sports a warm fig bread and Christmas pudding profile, with steeped plum and fig notes lined with smoldering tobacco and humus accents. Slightly grainy in feel, but showing ample length and drive for the vintage.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2032. 1,250 cases made.
Wine Spectator | 93 WS
As always, the 2003 Trotanoy is a meaty, burly style of wine, but the tannins have all been resolved. A dark plum/ruby color is accompanied by sweet black currant and mulberry notes intertwined with hints of truffles and earth. This medium- to full-bodied, delicious Pomerol is clearly one of the finest 2003s made in this appellation, whose lighter soils did not fare well in this vintage. Trotanoy’s clay and deep minerality have saved it. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.
Robert Parker | 92 RP
A wine which is dominated by sweet fruit, the sheer exuberance of the fruit dominating the huge, dark tannins. This will be a wonderful, intensely fruity wine.
Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE
(95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.67 pH; IPT 63;13.3% alcohol): Full medium ruby with a hint of garnet at the rim. Sexy aromas of superripe red cherry and blackberry, white pepper and mint. Then rich, creamy and fruit cocktail-like, with compelling sweetness to the red berry and marzipan flavors. This lush, seamless, impressively broad wine retains good verve in spite of its full ripeness and the extremely hot year. Finishes with slightly gritty tannins (an effect of the excessive heat that made full physiological ripeness of the polyphenols tough to achieve) and earth and leather notes. This is one of the few 2003 Bordeaux I truly like and recommend. In 2003, the harvest at Trotanoy began very early: the merlot was picked between September 2 and 4, and the cabernet franc on September 9. "In a year of furnace-like heat, we were able to preserve some freshness, which was our real merit," said Jean-Claude Berrouet.
Vinous Media | 91 VM
Wine Details for 2003 Trotanoy
| Type of Wine |
Bordeaux Red
: Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red |
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| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Country |
France
: Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive. |
| Subregion | Pomerol |
Overview
| Producer |
Chateau Trotanoy
: Chateau Trotanoy takes its name from “trop ennui,” which, when loosely translated means “too much to bother with,” or “too worrisome.” However, this can’t be further from the truth. The history of Trotanoy dates back to 1761 when the property was first planted by the Giraud family, who were very successful landowners in the Right Bank. The Chateau built by the Girauds still stands today and remains a symbol for the quality that is produced in the nearby vineyards. Even at that time, Trotanoy was well respected and considered to be one of the top wines in the entire appellation of Pomerol. Over the years the Giraud family would relinquish ownership to the Pecresse family but for only a short time as Jean-Pierre Mouiex would come into ownership of Trotanoy in 1953. Though the estate had been considered one of the Premier Crus of Pomerol since the end of the eighteen century, Mouiex would bring a modern acceptance, while allowing the natural terroir and former success of the chateau to continue. The 7.2-hectare vineyard rests on a gently sloping hill that faces the West. The terroir is incredibly unique as the soil here is an extremely dense mixture of clay and gravel which tends to solidify as it dries out after rainfall and becomes a concrete-like hardness. As aforementioned the name given to the estate is due to this difficult and unforgiving soil structure, which brings understanding to the name Trotanoy or “too wearisome” to cultivate. Though this natural obstacle creates hardship, it is considered prized soil and Trotanoy has never failed to prosper, delivering wines that are naturally profound, complex, and richly-concentrated with outstanding aging potential. Trotanoy’s wine possesses a deep color and a dense, powerful nose, repeated on the palate with the addition of creamy, dark chocolate notes and a singular concentration of flavor owed to its very old vines. The composition of varietals is typical for the Pomerol appellation; 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Despite its large percentage of Merlot (ignorantly believed to be a soft varietal and unable to age) top vintages will easily age and evolve for 40-50 years or longer. In 2009, a second wine, L’Esperance de Trotanoy was introduced and quickly adopted the flagship’s personality. It is fruit-forward and approachable at a young age, but maintains the depth and complexity of the flagship and is an expression of its unique terroir. Annual production for Trotanoy is 2,250 cases, while the second wine produces a miniscule 500 cases. Merlot has flourished in Pomerol and has become quite evident in the vineyards of Trotanoy, where the challenging soil gives birth to an outstanding wine that has been continuously cultivated to perfection and has been recognized world-wide since its inception. It remains a well-respected and idolized estate to this day. |
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