Château Trotanoy Pomerol 2014

The 2014 Trotanoy had (que surprise!) closed down on the nose compared to its JP Moueix stablemates. A few swirls of the glass and it reveals very precise, mineral-soaked black fruit laced with black truffle and subtle sous-bois aromas. It soon gathers momentum and the aromas were gaining more and more intensity after five minutes. The palate is outstanding. There is brilliant structure here, immense and almost staggering purity, incredible focus and tension with an electrifying spiciness on the finish. Best Pomerol of the vintage? The only thing wrong with that last sentence is the question mark at the end.

The 2014 Château Trotanoy is a beautiful, incredibly sexy 2014 that offers more character, texture, and fruit than most in the vintage. This wine is medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, yet elegant as well, with terrific notes of black cherry and darker styled fruits intermixed with loads of underbrush/damp earth, hints of truffle, and plenty of cedar. With beautiful sweetness of fruit, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and again, a sexy, pleasure bent style, you can safely drink this terrific 2014 anytime over the coming two decades or more.

Dense, featuring a loamy edge that runs throughout, while the core of crushed plum, fig and blackberry fruit plays out slowly. Licorice root and warm stone notes pervade the finish. A bit brooding, but give this time, as the lurking fresh bay, tobacco and iron elements should develop with age. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,625 cases made.

Cellar Selection. This is a powerfully structured wine from a 18-acre property on the plateau of Pomerol. Rich Merlot dominates and gives the wine both its alcohol and its intense tannins and juicy red fruits. The wine is dense with the potential for aging over a considerable time. Drink from 2025.

The 2014 Trotanoy has quite a gourmand bouquet with dried blood and truffle infusing the red fruit, a little forward for my liking. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin, robust and stocky with cranberry and strawberry fruit laced with black pepper and clove, leading to a harmonious but structured finish that will require several years in bottle. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.