Chateau Trianon 2015
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carmenere
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A full-bodied and powerful red with walnut, tile, blackberry and chocolate aromas and flavors. Round and ripe tannins. Best ever from here. 80% merlot, 10% cabernet franc, 5% cabernet sauvignon and 5% carmenere. Barrel Sample: 94-95 Points
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Wine Spectator
Very juicy, with lots of loganberry, blueberry and plum reduction flavors pumping through, inlaid with brambly grip that is well-absorbed, backed by lively licorice and apple wood notes. Best from 2020 through 2030.
At the beginning of the 2000’s, the Lecointre family sought to sell the estate for personal reasons. Dominique Hébrard, who was looking for a winegrowing property in Saint-Emilion, decided it was worth a try. Having to sell Chateau Cheval Blanc in 1999 for family reasons was a turning point for Dominique Hébrard. He needed to re-establish his roots in Saint-Emilion for his own sake and for his children, to whom he hopes to pass on his passion for wine.
Trianon was a chance of a lifetime. The vineyard was in poor condition, but had potential. Dominique Hébrard acquired the 6.5 hectares on 12th December 2000 and took the decisions necessary to rebuild the estate: Major investment in the vineyard and Construction of a vathouse and barrel cellar.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.