2023 Château Trotte Vieille, St Emilion, Bordeaux

Wow, this is really something. It is full and powerful with truly impressive depth of fruit. Yet, it remains agile and structural, with flexed muscles, balanced by a sense of floating. Well defined and poised. 53% cabernet franc, 44% merlot, and 3% cabernet. Will it be better than 2022?

The 2023 Trotte Vieille has quite a floral bouquet, with plenty of raspberry and crushed strawberry fruit and hints of potpourri emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid red fruit and fine structure. Though it doesn't possess the sheer horsepower and length of the previous vintage, it has an animated, peppery finish that lingers in the mouth. Proprietor Frédéric Castèja actually prefers this to the 2022, and I can see why.

Drink 2027 - 2047

The 2023 Trotte Vieille is a seriously impressive wine. Dark, resonant and explosive, the 2023 packs a huge punch. A blast of dark fruit, herbs, menthol, spice and licorice saturates the palate, with pretty floral and savory notes that play off all that richness. Superb.

Drink 2030 - 2053

The 2023 Trotte Vieille is deep garnet-purple in color. The first impression is WOW! It prances out of the glass with showy notes of ripe black plums, mulberries, and blackberry pie followed by hints of candied violets, cedar chest, cinnamon stick, and clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers electric tension, with super-fine satiny-smooth tannins and intense black fruit and baking spice layers, finishing long and fragrant. Along with the 2022, this is the best Trotte Vieille I've tasted.

The blend is 53% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an alcohol of 13.5%. “The new vat room was finished in 2021 for Trotte Vieille,” commented owner Frédéric Castéja. “This made a big difference to what we could achieve this year. The aim was to respect the fruit, keep the freshness, and make wines that are not too tannic and aggressive when young. This is the opposite of the wines from the 1990s.”

Drink 2029 - 2055

Dark nose, such a TrotteVieille signature scent. Fragrant, spiced blackcurrant, deeply scented and heady notes on the nose. Structured and supple, this has energy and movement but with a layered structure and filling texture, so precise but it’s the texture that captivates - nothing harsh, not too tart or too acidic, round and plump but not overly plush with a soft chew to the tannins, this is fabulous!

Gorgeous purity and precision and an elegant length. Well balanced with a gorgeous lick of minerality and saltiness. Supremely stylish, feels complete but just toned down a notch, and all the better for it.

100% new oak. Quite accomplished. 3.4-3.5pH.

Drink 2034 - 2048