Winemaker Notes
When ready, this wine shows enormous complexity and concentration and belongs to the most sought-after Pomerols. It can easily be kept 25 years or more in great vintages.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The greatest Trotanoy since 1998, 1982 and 1961? I always thought the 1998 was the modern day reference for this estate after 1982, but the amazing 2008 appears to be even denser and richer with higher, yet even sweeter tannin. It should prove to be a monumental wine as well as a legend in the making. Its inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a sensational bouquet of liquid earth intermixed with exceptional quantities of red and black fruits as well as hint of ink. Very dense, full-bodied, muscular, and massive, but in spite of some impressive grip and tannin, everything is gorgeously integrated because of the extraordinarily long maceration period of the grapes on the vine. Full-bodied and phenomenally concentrated with a prodigious sweetness and layered mouthfeel, this is unquestionably one of the vintage’s superstars. It should evolve for three decades or more. Kudos to Christian Moueix and his new oenologist, Eric Murisasco.
Barrel Sample: 96-100 Points -
Wine Enthusiast
A dense wine, with great intensity of flavor. There are spice, mineral and blackberry flavors over dark plums, and a great depth of complex tannins and wood.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 Points -
James Suckling
This is very muscular for the vintage, with blueberries, minerals, flowers and stones. Full bodied and powerful with beautiful rich tannins and a long, long finish. So much going on. Let it go for five or six years.
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Wine Spectator
This is a more powerful expression of Pomerol, with black tea and tar notes framing the core of blackberry and plum fruit. Loam, roasted tobacco leaf and braised cèpe notes fill in on the finish. This should be fun to age. Best from 2013 through 2020.
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.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.