Chateau Trotte Vieille 2025

James Suckling: 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."

Jeb Dunnuck: Deep purple-hued, the 2025 Château Trottevieille is based on 51% Cabernet Franc, 46% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon that's resting all in new barrels. It has an absolutely brilliant nose of cassis, graphite, wood smoke, and crushed stone, and it's full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with beautiful mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and a great finish."

Vinum: Ein Bouquet mit viel Tiefgang und Expressivität, reife Kirschfrucht, Veilchenblüten, blonder Tabak sowie eine pfeffrige Würze im Duft; seidenweich am Gaumen, ungemein samtenes Tannin, die Struktur ist beeindruckend, eine hervorragende Säure hält das Fruchtbündel frisch und trägt den Wein in einen langen, rotfruchtigen Abgang, wo er salzig endet. Dieser Château Trotte-Vieille wird bereits früh verführen und dennoch nobel reifen. Einmal mehr von ausgezeichneter Qualität."

The Wine Cellar Insider: Intense aromas of flowers, citrus, espresso, black plums, black cherries, and assorted herbs are all over the place. The palate is rich, concentrated, lushly-textured, lifted, finishing with layers of silky, chocolate-covered black with red fruits, cinnamon, licorice, espresso, and a hint of mint. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Franc, and 42% Merlot. 14% ABV. The harvest took place September 4 - September 19. The wine is aging in 100% new French oak barrels. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2028-2060."

Jane Anson: 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."

Wine Advocate: 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."

Decanter: Softly fragrant, dark fruit and heady, exotic sweet spices - cinnamon, cedar, clove. Bright acidity makes the first mark, mouthwatering with such smooth, silky tannins with a slight crisp, crunchy aspect to the red fruit. Still a little marked by the wood at this point - more streamlined than TrotteVieille can be - more delicate in terms of texture and impact but still with concentration and fruit. I like the friendliness, great balance and still lots going on. Grippy, dark, spiced tannin impression on the finish. Refined and ageing should add more flesh and density on the mid palate. Ageing 100% new oak."