Château Trotte Vieille 2024

Luminous ruby color with great aromatic depth, marked by minerality; dark cherries, cassis, raspberries, herbal spice, licorice. On the palate, silky, with a creamy texture; a crisp, sweet fruit core; perfectly ripe tannins wrapping the fruit like velvet and silk. The wine builds impressive drive, yet practically dances across the tongue, lingering on red and dark berries with a hint of licorice. Anyone claiming that 2024 produced no great wines should try this superb, highly elegant Trotte Vieille.

Fragrant blackcurrant aromas with milk chocolate and a touch of vanilla. Clean and succulent, brimming with life and energy from the start. Mouthwatering acidity with both a subtle sweetness and a cool touch of mint, graphite and pencil lead. Great texture—so silky smooth, with refinement and elegance. Such a classy expression. Focus, precision and flavor. I like the structure and the clear minty, aniseed finish. 100% new oak is among the highest, but this wine feels like it can take it, as the acidity keeps the expression lifted. Delicious. Perhaps less TrotteVieille signature than usual but really good. 75–80% grand vin. Aging in 100% new oak. pH 3.55.

Licorice, flowers, espresso, black plums, and chocolate-covered cherries are abundant here. Medium-bodied, fresh, refined, and silky, the fruits glide smoothly across your palate, leading to a sophisticated finish that concludes with a subtle hint of chocolate mint. The wine blends 56% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV. The harvest took place September 20 - October 5. Drink from 2028-2044. 92-94 Pts

Right from the start, the bouquet of Trotte Vieille announces ambitions dedicated to precision, subtlety and depth. It reveals numerous nuances beginning with its aging which functions as support rather than as a marker! Thus, the nuances of iris, dark berries and liquorice are widely praised. Of good density, the wine convinces through its linear character, even elegant, and through the serenity of its power. This power is not showy, much like the aging, it carries the whole together through tannins with fine grains perfectly integrated. The acidity, structuring, ensures the finish well and brings freshness as well as character. An elegant, authentic, chalky, vibrant and persistent wine. What a superb achievement! This wine reminds us that to shine, there is no need to be loud, it is enough to be oneself, to know how to be fully present without artifice by trusting one's team and one's terroir. A Trotte Vieille that clearly stands above the vintage. This is the nature of great wines in 2024. And this is my 666th 2024, but it is not diabolical, rather divine!