Chateau Trotte Vieille 2020

Professional Ratings

• 98 Jeb Dunnuck

  The 2020 Château Trotte Vieille has closed down since I tasted it as a barrel sample in 2021 and needs lots of air, but this is an incredibly gorgeous wine. Its dense purple hue is followed by powerful, inward bouquet of ripe, incredibly pure black and blue fruits, smoky oak, tons of minerality, and a kiss of violets that takes lots of air to shine. The palate is similar in style, with a concentrated, focused, almost austere edge that carries beautiful tannins, awesome extract, flawless overall balance, and a great finish. While it's unquestionably a brilliant wine, it's not for those looking for instant gratification and is much more reserved than the 2019 at this stage.

• 98 James Suckling

  Blackcurrants and blueberries with some chocolate and hazelnut. Bark and mushroom undertones. Salt. Full-bodied with very fine tannins. Very structured. Muscular yet polished. The tannins go on and on. 50% cabernet franc, 49% merlot and 1% cabernet sauvignon. This needs lots of time because of the super tannin structure. Needs five or six years to soften.

• 96 Decanter
  xcellent grip and tension through the palate, a well-judged and well-balanced Trottevieille, doing exactly as well as expected in a vintage that favours clay and limestone soils that keep freshness and focus. Elegant and sleek, plenty of tight blackberry fruit and a mouthwatering finish. Expands through the mid palate and then closes in on the finish, a confident wine where you feel the terroir is pulling the strings not the winemaker. Tasted twice, loved both times.
  Barrel Sample: 96
• 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 2020 Trotte Vieille is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 49% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon aging for an anticipated 16 months in French oak barrels, 80% new. The alcohol is 15%. Opaque purple-black in color, it bursts from the glass with vivacious notes of wild blueberries, ripe, juicy black plums and black raspberries, plus hints of lilacs, star anise and tar with a touch of wild thyme. The rich, full-bodied palate coats the mouth with black fruits and exotic spice sparks, framed by grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a fragrant earth note. Barrel Sample: 92-94