WSET 2 group tasting (My place, Utrecht, NL): Better on the nose than on the palate, but still improved the next day. Medium intensity, velvety with leather, black fruit, plum, black berry, black cherry, ceder, cassis, bell pepper. Medium+ acidity, high (quite rough) tannins, medium+ finish. Or not perfectly stored in the past or already over the top
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Another bottle of this.Wonderful nose of black fruit,truffle,tobacco,earthy notes ... Very racy and silky,perfectly integrated acidity,but with still slightly firm tannins on the never ending finish.Nearly immortal in terms of aging potential.
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Super-premium Bordeaux Tasting (at my home): The wine has a truffle, earth, plum, tobacco leaf, and plum nose. Round dusty tannins, firm, old-school, classic edge, and a tannic spine. Generally, the wine is well-structured, round tannins, delicate sandalwood, and cigar flavors, with notes of red fruits dominating. The wine has earthy aromas, such as black truffles, moist forest floor, and ash, with subtle red fruit, chewy meaty flavors, and a finish of dates, ripe red fruit, and leather. Still early in its drinking window and can age 10-15 years more.
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Better on the nose, with its truffle, earth, plum, tobacco leaf, and plum nose, than on the palate, which expresses the austere side of the vintage. The wine tries to soften and fill out, but it holds on to its tannic spine, dusty tannins, and firm, old-school, classic edge. It will be long-lived, but it is not a hedonistic Pomerol. Drink from 2023-2045.
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The oldest vintage I have ever tasted and I was surprised how well it was preserved given that the cork looks almost new. Unfortunately drank too fast as the wine only really started to show character after opening and decanting for about an hour. Very well structured and round tannin in which it was well integrated. Finish was not long, but notes of red fruits dominated.
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Possibly would have wowed more if it hadn't followed the dynamite 1998. It had a lot of the same attributes with that succulent tautness and snap but took a bit longer to compose itself without managing to pick up the same intensity or precision.
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Exactly what you would expect an old Bordeaux experience to be. Dark ruby red in the glass and almost viscous on the swirl. Immediately explodes with earthy aromas- black truffles, moist forest floor, ash, and spices. Over time, the earthiness gives way to subtle red fruit, which doesn’t last long. A few hours in the air and the nose becomes meaty, dominated by gamy aromas, charcoal, and wood. The palate is surprisingly fresh and vibrant, but the tannins are subtle and very courteous. Analogous to the nose, it starts off with earthy flavors, which then give way to chewy meaty ones. Red berries, menthols, dark spices, and star anise eventually give way to a long finish of dates, ripe red fruit, leather. Fantastic wine in fantastic company. It still has a few years potential ahead, but if you have one, drink it now. Life is short and fragile.
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Feb 2022: I bought this bottle from Ben Wallace at cellaraiders back in 2020. Perfect cork soaked about 1 centimer. The rich perfume upon opening struck me and pleased me as well-aged Bordeaux always does. Decanted in the cold basement for 2 hours. Drank with beef tenderloin, sauted red potatoes, and red bell pepper, with a side of shishito peppers. Beautiful ruby edge. Smooth as silk. Swirl in the glass, let it sit a minute, then inhale, sit back, and revel in the wonderful aroma. I don't have a word to describe it. Tastes of mineral, licorice, peppers, deep, dark chocolate. What a pleasure and a delight. Thanks, Ben!
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I have been fortunate enough to have this wine many times in the past decade and it never disappoints, though this last tasting was not as good as others consumed even a few years ago - tough to tell if it's bottle variability or just aging trajectory. This particular bottle had perfect color and pristine cork, so far so good. But it was a bit soft on the nose, perhaps I should've decanted (we didn't). On both the nose and the palate it showed more of the earthy, savory elements rather than fruit: lots of dark chocolate, charcoal, and pencil lead, all classically styled and backed by some pleasantly soft but present tannins. The wine held together all evening, and did indeed open up a bit, suggesting that I did indeed make a mistake in not decanting. Still, tough for me to say this is, say, a 20yr wine at this point. While it still has beautiful structure and color, I think it's definitely peak drinking now almost for certain. Beautiful treat, once again.
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@Ancora fine dining Bricking red in color. Full bodied Mushrooms, loamy, forest floor Silky smooth. Integrated tannin. Medium plus finish. Tastes like the nose. Good wine. Thanks Peter.
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This one was opened alongside a 1995 Chateau Haut Brion. This wine has reached pop and pour status in my opinion, yet was still decanted. The classic Bordeaux nose was certainly here. Black cherry nitrogenous funk and was actually getting a little bit of meaty and smoky notes as well. The entry was actually very obtuse, excellent and opulent mouthfeel. Dirty black cherry and a whole lot of it! Within the first hour, if votes were taken, almost everyone in the group would have voted this wine as the clear winner over the HB which was definitely struggling to get going on all aspects. This wine had a great black cherry core, I was getting a little bit of mint, dark chocolate, ground coffee bean. This one finished with a fair amount of black pepper and very good acidity. I was always told to have a Trotanoy as an "ace in the hole" whenever a left bank enthusiast opens up a left bank wine and then immediately tries to declare victory. Now I know why! Only this time, both wines were mine! A fun comparison, and I will be looking to replace this one soon!
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Another bottle of this.Racy nose shows black fruit,kirsch,truffle,black chocolate and wonderful earthy notes.Well balanced,with very racy and silky tannins,perfectly integrated acidity and a very long finish.A little bit less harmonious than the last 2 bottles .. but nevertheless very good.
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Decanted and enjoyed over 3-4 hours. Cherry, chocolate and spice. Professionally stored by original owner since release this bottle was in fantastic shape and quite youthful. As good as this is, it really probably needs just a little more bottle age. Drink 2023+?
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Absolutely rocking. Yes, I guess it's probably on the young side, but it was paired with Wagyu and so that youth really stood up very well to the fattier meat. Lots of darker red fruits. Very much enjoyed.
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Popped this open and let it breathe for about 4 hours in the bottle (no access to a decanter). Very nice nose of violets, cedar, red currants, a hint of menthol. Palette was vintage RB, but a bit shy. Fortunately, we were on our way out the door and put the cork back in the bottle overnight, because when we popped this back open the next day we encountered a very different bottle of wine. This was singing immediately out of the bottle now; it clearly needed the time with the cork popped to start to show its true, lovely colors. A more pronounced nose of violets, moist earth, fresh cut cedar, leather, and black pepper. On the palate it was just as delightful, with creme de cassis, black fruit, red fruit, tea, and a lovely mineral component that stitched the whole glass together. If you can get this for under $200, this is a buy now and for the next 10 years.
Still very young. Paired with 1997 Dominus, which showed as more developed tonight. I agree with the comment that the 1995 needs around 10 years develop. A 93 now. Should improve 2 points in the future. Decanted 1.5 hrs and followed in the glass for 2.5 hrs. I felt that there was more lurking in the background, but hidden by the tannins. Drink 2030- 2040.
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Tasted blind after the 95 and 86 Cheval Blanc, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this. There seemed to be a lot of black fruit and ganache, pointing toward a relatively high Merlot content, but also a conspicuous herbal character pointing to a significant minority of cab franc. I thought we might still be on youngish Cheval, but no - Trot. This was pop and pour, but these still need a lot more time.
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A very different experience from the Lynch-Bages tasted alongside (fellow CTers- if interested, my current take on what to do with 1995 is embedded in that tasting note), deep purple red young color, pepper and plums on the nose, on the palate a hint of secondary development with some lovely forest floor notes, cherries, pretty but also still primary and seeming half-asleep, where the 95 Lynch-Bages tonight (and 1995 Margaux in December) suddenly switched into a hard finish, this one shifts quickly into a very neutral state, the finish is there and a bit clipped- but rather than being harsh it is just very quiet, no harsh acids or tannins- just a soft landing if you will, I have never seen anything quite like it, this is one where I would definitely wait another decade at least before trying again since it has not gotten harsh yet on the finish- and is still in development, so I have more hope here than for other wines, but time will tell.
At best **** eventually, it is less extreme right now, but this does not have the 5 star potential of Lynch-Bages or Margaux if this vintage ends up coming out well balanced when it finally matures.
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Consistent with previous bottles. Very masculin, monster of power, deep ruby color, lots of leather and earth undertones cloaked in dark red fruits and spice cake. Very long finish but this bottle was a bit restrained with tannins still present.
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Keeps getting better with age. Deep crimson color, almost viscous, very rich nose of blackberries, currants, leather, coffee. Masculine yet with a velvety touch and balance that Trotanoy is so good at attaining. Full bodied, solid mid palate with vivaciousness and power, and such a long and gratifying bitter chocolate finish.
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Acker Auction - June 2018 (Laduree NYC W Broadway): Very nice wine. Still super young. Very bright. It's got a pretty strong tannic backbone. Some darker fruits. It's a wine that seems like it has all of the stuffing and just needs a bit more time.
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A lovely wine at present, but showing quite young. The nose gives off subtle aromas of cedar, tobacco, and berries. The palate is a cornucopia of flavors. At the forefront is iron, espresso, fig, dark fruits, and milk chocolate on the lingering finish. Tannins are softening. It was a beautiful pairing with the lamb loin at Gramercy Tavern.
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At peak now. Medium garnet, nose and flavour of blackberry, prune, tea, mineral, savoury, black truffle, expresso and chocolate. Supple and round mouthfeel, supported by refreshing acidity.
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Lovely wine. This bottle was a little funky on the nose very tart but the palate was good. Dark red fruits, iron, mint, anise, dark chocolate, leather, firm and soft at the same time, good acidity, balance mid palate and a masculine finish with tannins well resolved after a two hour decant. Medium to full bodied. Although the more recent vintages are more well rounded and refined, I find some of these old vintages even the 82, 83 and 90 to have more character even though they are rougher around the edges. This is why Trotanoy will remain one of my favorite Pomerols.
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Still fairly young and needs a 2-4 hour decant at this stage. A very good wine, but not better than the 1999, and the 2006 and 2011 were substaintially better. The later vintages are more lush and plummy. Trotanoy has been modernized in a good way.
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Now this is how one opens a small Pomerol tasting ... immediately with the wine of the night !!! This was tasted blind and we all got the vintage wrong ( starting with 2000+ ).
+ Colour - not what one would expect from a 20+ year old vintage + Nose - blood/iron, red fruits ( dimmed ), woody, mint + Taste - so soft, so round, so velvet, herbal, woody, sensual, Mon Chéri bonbon, moka ( coffee ) + Finish - vanilla, mint, coffee, dried fruits, quite delicate
Very much THE surprise of the evening .... this is what nicely aged Bordeaux is all about !!!
Mathijs
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Another stunning bottle of this.Once again,intoxicating nose of black fruits,truffle,dark chocolate,tobacco,white pepper.This has developed wonderfully over the past 4-5 years,adding weight and complexity.Velvety texture,with great power and depth and with a long,complex and racy finish.Potential for at least another 10-15 years.Terrific !
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Beautiful wine. In a great spot now, but not falling off the curve any time soon. Aromatics & elegance is the game here. Classic in style. Burgundian sensibilities.
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A mature wine, deep red with tones of black. Notes of tobacco, chocolate, very soft on the palate and not a tannin to be found. A very refined attack, well balanced throughout and a medium length finish. A lovely, lovely wine. I'd guess it would have lasted where it is now for another 5 years or so.
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Lost notes but from memory, evolved dark fruits, tobacco and a bit of must. Lovely palate with fine tannin and still good acid. Should last a good bit longer. Slight off-note on nose was either a bit of cork taint or I'm just not used to older wines. Purchased at auction.
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Very masculine with dark red fruits, leather, bitter chocolate and raspnerries. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. Finishes soft and long. Full bodied and to me pure magic.
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Not as brooding and backward as many from 1995, this wine still needs a bit more time to open. In fact, I would go as far as to say the 1998 and 2000 are more open than this bottle was. Still, there is beautiful red plum on the nose, with some nice cedar and undergrowth to complement it. Soft on the palate with nicely integrated tannins. The balance is excellent overall, ending in a smooth, fresh finish. But despite this bottle, I will still reach for my Pomerols first when it comes to 1995 Bordeaux.
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First time drinking this..pnp..little sediment.. Wine special order and came from chateau.. M body.. No tannis.. No heat..not bad easy drinking.. But for $200 I don't know if I will get more
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LPV Oslo 06/16 - Classic Bordeaux nose (cassis, cedar), refined and complex, but which immediately takes you to the Left Bank. Well balanced, the wine is medium bodied and the mouthfeel is pleasant but not particularly lush. The wine doesn't appear ascetic but is endowed with a strong acidic backbone. Great tannin quality and length. Very surprising for a 90% Merlot / 10 % Cab Franc wine!!!
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Really stood up well to the Latour 98 that we drank just before it, amd Latour is my favorite all time wine. Deep crimson, hardly any signs of aging, lovely nose of truffles, blackberries, crushed stones, pepper. Was not left in decanter long enough to soften up so came out with a velvety but masculine palate, full bodied, tannins well integrated but by no means fully melted, mocha and raspberry long finish. What a delight this wine is and so happy I have a case and a half that I can savour over the next 5 years and see how this wine evolves.
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Decanted for 3 hours.Intoxicating nose of Kirsch,strawberry jam,truffle,dark chocolate,leather,tobacco,white pepper ..... I just couldn't stop smelling it.On the palate it tastes pretty much what it shows on the nose .... it is medium bodied,well balanced,with very racy and silky tannins,perfectly integrated acidity and a long,long,finish.This is crazy good.Should last for at least another 10-15 years,or even more.
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Years of pleasure in store, here. Despite all the Merlot, this remains young - but it's a 95, so who's surprised about that? This is in early maturity now and evolving nicely so it's a good time to pull the cork if you've got a few. Quite solid on opening; rich damson, chocolate, leather, tobacco; with air it gathers more elegance (finesse, dare I say?) and a lovely mineral/cardamom profile. At times, quite smokey. Rather round and supple in the mouth. Long and positive finish.
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Nose: Damson, Black Cherry, Raspberries, leather, explosive spice notes, claY and candied strawberries. Palate: Sexy caressing feel with not one tannin to be seen. Red/Black fruit accented by beautiful Chinese five spice, cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Exotically balancing fruit spice and earth. Finish: elegant on the way out. lovely wine.
This was slightly elusive with windows of openness that revealed the wine above. Ying to the Baron's Yang. This blows away the 1990 version. Decant a few hours and you will be rewarded.
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One of my favorite wines of all time. Can't get enough of this elegant, balanced yet masculine wine. Truly Petrus' cousin. 2-3 hours in the decanter and this wine was in full stride. Deep ruby red, nose of raspberries, blackberries, truffles, leather and bitter coffee and spice. A beauty on the palate, great lift mid palate with fruit and leather coating the mid palate, solid backbone, great acidity, complex finish with dark chocolate finish. Real value for money. Priceless hedonism.
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SLDS March 2016: Plum, cherry, pencil shavings, blood and a citrus floral note. Great structure on the palate, the tannins are assertive but are fine and don't dominate the fruit flavours. Drinking well at this point I think, but over the next 8-10 years this should deliver a lot of pleasure.
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Best bottle I have had. Lovely delicious mature and masculine Merlot. Deep dark ruby red color, opened and decanted, left for an hour than drank over two. Great nose of raspberries, mushrooms, leather, scorched earth, and candied strawberries. Robust entry on the palate, great fruit, depth and complexity mid palate, resolved tannins, full bodied, great balance and acidity, this wine still has legs, and finishes hedonistically long. One of my all time favorite Trots.
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GRANDI MERLOT ITALIANI: Degustato alla cieca. Già il colore fa presagire una maturità e sottiliezza di beva superiori rispetto agli altri mostri scuri italiani. Tabacco e terra, poi tanto pepe. La componente vegetale è in primo piano, e scolpisce un profilo quasi "immaturo" e non perfettamente compiuto, segno di un annata media. Ma tutto questo non fa che aumentare l' eleganza, la leggerezza e la bevibilità dell' insieme. A centro bocca pare quasi annacquato, ma sul finale riacquista slancio e la persistenza è doppia rispetto agli altri vini con il doppio di corpo. Segno che per durare non serve essere grossi e muscolosi! Il finale affumicato merita la degna consacrazione di vino della serata. Chapeau
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Dark ruby color. Nose of acute greenery on the pop, followed by more nuanced berry, herb, tree and wet forest. Initial palate of tight very green notes, green pepper, minerals, crushed rocks opens to some semblance of silky black cherry fruit. Such a baby with decades left to mature. Extremely powerful and well made. Decadent.
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A bit of discolouration around the rim, less dark than the 1998 Canon-la-Gaffeliere tasted alongside. Rich, sweet, floral, layered and complex on the nose. Lots of red and dark fruit, spices, coffee, smoke. Sweet, succulent fruit on the palate, lots of concentration, but great acidity and grip, tannins a little drying and powerful. Quite firm still. Fantastic length. No rush at all drinking this. 94-95+
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TN: Dinner 95 & 98 Rayas, 03 Lafite, 95 Trotanoy, 04 Blankiet, 05 Dom and etc. (Eddie V's): I guess the shape of the stem matters. First poured into a Burgundy stem and almost no nose. Sensual nose displaying subtle black fruits, a hint of cassis, plum, chocolate, caramel, cedar and truffle. There is a hint of green that gives nice energy. Very polished, subtle cassis fruit driven palate impression, silky and round, good acidity, nicely integrated tannins and seamless clean finish. Classic perfectly mature Pomerol that is drinking beautifully. I highly recommend.
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A little bit of funk adds a nice touch to this deep and rich pomerol. Nose of iron, violets and hint of bandaid. Great mouthfeel, once sturdy tannins receding and giving way to the fruit - mellow, complex and pleasing.
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Our 2nd wine. Earth, blood/iron on nose. A bit rounder than first, with notes of chocolate & dark-berries. Liked this better than the 1st, and thought that this was the Calon...
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This is a real beauty. Ripe, rich, complex Merlot with a beautiful bouquet. We had it with lamb shanks and it made the meal a fabulous one. I think it has years of life ahead of it but it's hard to imagine it getting any better than it is now.
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Over the years, at age 20, this has morphed into a delicious Pomerol, with round, sensuous textures, plummy, chocolate covered fruit and a silky finish. The wine is drinking great today, and it should remain at this level, or even improve for at least another 10,15 or 20 years.
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I've tasted this wine many times over the past 10yrs and it continues to be the epitome of Bordeaux. A beautifully styled, elegant wine that cannot possibly be mistaken as originating from any other region in the world. Opened with still a medium-dark colour, with amazing notes of earth, leather, cedar and spices. Still a great finish, 30 seconds+. I had the wine in the glass of the better part of an hour and it did not miss a beat. Having tasted this wine many times, the only criticism I'd render is that 20 years on the fruit is fading just a touch and the wine is not as well integrated as it used to be. Previous bottles I've tasted merit near-100 point scores. As one of the other posts said, this is absolutely one of Bordeaux's best producers, I dare anyone to taste it beside a First Growth and declare otherwise.
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Stellar Night of Bordeaux; 5/15/2015-5/17/2015 (NYC): Shy nose at first, showing a bit medicinal. With air this becomes vinous and classic, sporting a exotic bouquet after all the Left Bankers. Really good core of ripe fruit, classy, comes across almost like a restrained Cali Cab. Still young, but sexy.
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Old Bordeaux with Patrick back in town (Fabio's, NYC): Loved this. So flamboyant on the nose, with sweet sandalwood, floral, and other exotic spicy notes framing a core of rich red fruits and more savoury earthy elements. Still rather primary, but much more appealing to drink right now than the '95 GPL was, with the tannins feeling more silky.
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A more evolved wine than the l'Eglise Clinet 95, dark red, aroma of plum, black fruit. Intense on palate, good structure from tannin without any rough edge. Lovely.
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It was love at first sniff! Reminded me of a 1990 Angelus I had that was equally as beautiful.
The nose on this baby was classic Pomerol. Stinky, but in a refined and age worthy and classic way. The mouth feel was spectacular - smooth as silk with the right balance of acidity and fruit. Some brick coloring, but not a lot.
If Grace Kelly were reincarnated in a bottle of wine, this would be her - hands down the most beautiful woman in the room, but she still acted with humility, class and elegance.
A beautiful wine that's drinking extremely well right now. Well worth tracking down a bottle or two.
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Developing nicely, with its plum, cocoa, truffle and tobacco character. Slightly masculine, in fact it's a bit on the firm side for Pomerol, iit's worth popping cork today. However there is no hurry to drink this wine.
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Color: still deep red Nose: beautiful rich pomerol nose, cassis, dark black berries, raspberries, licorice
Palate:a full bodied wine, opulent, soft entry, long finish, drinking beautifully now but can still keep, caresses, great balance, classy, silky, delicious, a v good trot
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Sommelier 1995 Bordeaux Tasting - "Boisterous violets and lavender, lovely anise and black currants; voluptuous body and strong, but well-integrated oak tones with a shy shade of pyrazine; slightly higher alcohol and tannin than the rest of the flight, but it offers a nice expressive contrast; Youthful, drink or hold, but drinking very well now." -Scott Ota. All wines were opened and poured.
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Super Bowl 2013 (Cumming, GA): Lighter red in color than other Bordeaux that evening, 1/4" bricking; pretty nose of floral red fruit; tart cherry pit on the palate, rich, long finish of red licorice, a little heat that could have been toned down by a little more chill, ashy, sexy and seductive even though the tannins are still kicking hard, sweet and slightly bitter finish for balance. Not ready yet in my opinion.
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Beautiful notes of plum and dark fruits, a good finish that kept going. Took an hour if decanting to open up. Initially very tight, then funky, then wonderful. Glad I took a chance on a half price sale.
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Black truffles, chocolate, cherries and earth are all blended perfectly in this beautiful Pomerol. Had this wine in the decanter for 3 hours, but it kept opening and revealing more and more. It is actually still pretty big, making me think that it will still be delicious in 5 or more years.
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Beautiful blend of fresh red and jammy fruit (plums) plus hints of chocolate, vanilla, and tobacco. Very smooth and continues to build on the palate for a long time. Has its edges but finishes long with lasting and round after-palate. Grand !
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Beautifully made, 3 hours of decanting, this wine is in full equilibrium and providing great pleasure in drinking. Bricking is now evident on the rim, nose very earthy at first and evolves into sweet and spicy dark red fruit compote, hints of tobacco and mushrooms. On the palate fresh and juicy, nice balance between earth and fruit, alluring finish.
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Only slightly oxidized but absolutely drinkable. Dark garnet, showing an extremely attractive character despite oxidation. Did not discard it, and made a nice pairing with grilled veal fillet.
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Brick orange, aged colour.Fantastic nose of sweet fruits and violets, very alluring. Elegant attack, not abrupt, and transition smoothly to a complex mid-body. Tinge of alcohol and bitterness. But finishes well >10 secs. WOTN (9.0/10) . http://sgbordeaux.blogspot.com/2011/03/ch-trotanoy-vertical-tasting.html
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Licorice, black raspberries, truffles, chocolate covered plums, earth and spicy black cherries race from the glass. Tannic and broad shouldered for Trotanoy, the wine offers depth and refinement. But lacks the plush, sensuality of the best wines from Pomerol.
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Amazing improvement in less than a year. This wine continues to evolve and I suspect it may reach its full maturity next year. Excellent wine. Decant at least 3 hours. See previous notes.
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Decanted, but drank immediately. Fruity, round bouquet, a bit raisiny. Raspberries, charcoal, graphite notes on the palate. Good balance, not overly tannic, classic Pomerol. Should have let breath a couple hours. Good to drink for at least next 10 years.
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Compare to the 96 nose it is more focus and structured. Expressive nose tobacco, coffee w good weight on palate fine tannins. Seemly lacks finish. Would suggest to leave for 2-3 years before drinking.
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Despite my previous note, I was too tempted to retry this wine. Decanted for 3+ hours and the wine was in perfect drinking state. The nose opened up to a perfume of rasberry compote with some flowery / sandal notes, sweet tobacco and truffles. Great attack, full mid palate of dark red fruits, some vanilla, truffles and notes of earth, and a very enjoyable finish. This wine is open for business but still requires time to soften up.
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Although a great wine I was slightly disappointed after waiting 6 months to get my cases straight from the Chateau through my wine merchant. Nose closed at the outset with around 1 hour decanting needed for it to open up to graphite, earth, dusty cherries and tobacco whilst after 3 hours the nose hinted at some strawberries and vanilla although barely. Beautiful deep crimson color translucent red rim rich and thick. No sign of ageing. On the palate a lot of earth, iron, hidden red fruits and strong tannins which then melt after 3-4 hours to offer full leather, red currants and berries, elegance and velvet. Not the longest of finishes but a very pleasing wine to drink. The 2005's are certainly in a different league when I sampled a bottle in March. I will let the 1995's rest in my cellar for another month before I resample. I'm now eager to try some other Trotanoys from the 1998's case I just received!
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The nose on this was a brilliant combination of cedar, graphite, deep red fruit with some dried tobacco leaf in the background. Smelled delicious. Great weight on the palate, exuberant flavors of black fruit, blood and tobacco. Long finish, tannins are full but dusty. The fruit lingers well through the finish. My problem here was the heat on the mid-palate and finish along with some un-linear and unbalanced transitions on the palate. Overall the power and quality could be felt, just the execution was flawed for me. Still a very good wine.
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Mature Bordeaux at David's (David Paris's place): Intense yet somewhat reticent nose of iron, blood, red clay, tobacco and red fruit that built and bloomed over the course of 3 hours. Similarly bloody - almost viscous - on the palate with substantial ripe tannins and flavors of tar, black cherries and coffee beans. One taster noted that this wine seemed 'hot' but I didn't get that impression. Very long, 30s +, finish that built to a tarry climax and subsided with more tannins. This is a breathtaking wine in the making and one that can be enjoyed now but I'll hold off another 15 years before trying it again.
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Blind Mature Bordeaux, 1966-1995 (My house): On the nose, this is showing fairly young with some graphite, nice dusty cherry, and fairly big and dark. Really great structure and balance on the palate, some forest floor, and big tannins build. There's great pleasing cherry fruit as well. On the finish this initially attacks with some cracked pepper and mud, transitioning to the cherry. There's still lots of tannins to chew on, and even a little bit of heat (even at the label's 13.5%, the highest of the night). The finish is tighter than the palate, but despite the slight heat I found this to be a very pleasing, well rounded wine that tasted fairly delicious.
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Showing age with some bricking at the rim. Notes of dried herbs, prunes and cedar. Completely silky in the mouth, some earth tones, plums and thyme. An extremely nice, elegant wine that is just perfect for drinking now.
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Pop and pour. Medium dark red color. Earth and plum on the nose. Letting it settle in the glass for awhile. Earth, mushroom and stone, turning to cherry with a long, long finish. Just a lovely Pomerol. Probably just entering a long drinkability window.
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Wine 3 Very showy nose. Completely open for business. Voluptuous and full of black fruits and cedar. This is absolutely delicious. The tannins are soft, flavor intensity is awesome. It ends with very nice minerality in the long, flavorful finish. This seems to be Merlot dominated. This is the Wine of the Flight. Given its flamboyance, I will guess Canon La Gaffeliere.
Vino 3 Nariz muy extrovertida. Este vino está listo para tomarse. Voluptuoso y lleno de frutas negras y cedro. Es absolutamente delicioso. Los taninos son suaves, la intensidad de sabores increíble. Termina con una mineralidad marcada y compleja en el final largo y terso. Parece estar dominado por Merlot. Este es el vino de la ronda. Dado su perfil, voy a adivinar que es el canon La Gaffeliere.
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Decanted for 2 hours. This wine never cooperated. Thin, and a bit of green pepper and marked acidity did not allow the complete strength of core fruit and depth of aromas expected to surface. It was not corked or tainted, just closed for business. This wine was shared with two accomplished, professional tasters (one a noteworthy Bordeaux wine critic), and it was outshone by a 2002 Bon Pasteur. Not reflective of the great terroir and legacy of this Pomerol chateau. My rating, merely 'good', is based on experience today, rather than what I expect or hope will happen next time. This should be a 92-96pt wine. Looks like I had the wine that FireSpeed had, but mine never came around. Five years sounds about right!
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Drank this with a big steak next to a 1997 Phelps' Insignia and it was my favorite, for being so classically older Bordeaux: earth and mushroom notes, with such poise. We hardly decanted at all, but still there was a complexity (chocolate, tobacco) that the Napa cab couldn't match. But for a French merlot, this wine shows some good stuffing. I loved it.
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The 1995 Trotanoy has a garnet/purple core with a hint of ruby at the rim. At first, the nose was really tight, revealing only aromas of earth and sweet fruit. After 2 hours of decanting, the wine started to reveal itself. On the nose, there was earth/mushroom, black and red fruits, tobacco/herbs and cigar box. On the palate, I got some sweet dark fruits, dark chocolate, licorice and wet stone. The wine was rich, medium to full bodied and nicely balanced, although i would prefer a little bit less oak. The finish was long, 2+ minutes. Some tasters have found the wine very tannic which I did not notice. Maybe the tannic has nicely integrated in my bottle. The wine can be drunk now with pleasure with 2 hours of decanting, although I would recommend 5 more years of cellaring.
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Fairly wrapped up but a nice Pomerol nose with dark fruits and chocolate notes. Showing less on the palate - acid and tannin with a dark fruit core. Lots of potential, needs time.
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Drank from a half-bottle. Medium dark red and excellent nose. 94 points for the nose and 91 for the rest. The wine has lost some of its baby fat. It was a little better a couple years ago.
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Wine Society Pomerol Tasting with Christian Moueix (Merchant Taylors' Hall, London EC2): First bottle corked. Second bottle is medium ruby, slight browning at the rim. Some baked notes here too, but showing more perfume and elegance than the Conseillante. Good density and intensity on the palate, with attractive pure red fruit, good balancing acidity, some quite chewy tannins still on the finish indicating that the best is still to some. Excellent 89-92+.
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Dark ruby colour; opaque. Aromas of cedar, herbs, cherry, earth. Medium-full bodied, elegant, silky wine. Very refined. Cedar, herbs, black fruit on the palate. Long, long finish, with smoke, red fruit, cedar. Absolutely delightful. Young, but outstanding.
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Ripe plum and earth from the glass, full-bodied, mouth coating fruit on the palate, with a refreshing acidic edge and a never-say-die finish. A little rustic and tannic, but not enough to deter! Brilliant
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Deep, dark ruby red. A very faint brown shade at the rim. A very classic nose of leather, forest floor, dark berry leaves. Very expansive on the palate. Broad in structure and packed with layers of dense fruit. Ripe and concentrated. A very complex and multi-dimensional wine. Rich and lush, but packed with tannins that need to flesh out and become more integrated. This wine needs at least 10 to 15 years in the cellar IMO. A great and balanced finish. Perhaps not the longest. That subtracts a few points.
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8/17/2023 - bjbu Likes this wine: 91 Points
WSET II tasting evening: Intensity medium(+). Blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, green bell pepper, leather. Tannins medium(+). Acidity medium(+). Finish medium(+).
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8/17/2023 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 92 Points
WSET 2 group tasting (My place, Utrecht, NL): Better on the nose than on the palate, but still improved the next day. Medium intensity, velvety with leather, black fruit, plum, black berry, black cherry, ceder, cassis, bell pepper. Medium+ acidity, high (quite rough) tannins, medium+ finish. Or not perfectly stored in the past or already over the top
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5/13/2023 - jkoenen wrote: flawed
Top-Bordeaux 1995 (Restaurant Central Park, Voorburg): Corked.
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4/11/2023 - valedeniro wrote: 94 Points
Another bottle of this.Wonderful nose of black fruit,truffle,tobacco,earthy notes ... Very racy and silky,perfectly integrated acidity,but with still slightly firm tannins on the never ending finish.Nearly immortal in terms of aging potential.
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4/3/2023 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
Super-premium Bordeaux Tasting (at my home): The wine has a truffle, earth, plum, tobacco leaf, and plum nose.
Round dusty tannins, firm, old-school, classic edge, and a tannic spine.
Generally, the wine is well-structured, round tannins, delicate sandalwood, and cigar flavors, with notes of red fruits dominating.
The wine has earthy aromas, such as black truffles, moist forest floor, and ash, with subtle red fruit, chewy meaty flavors, and a finish of dates, ripe red fruit, and leather. Still early in its drinking window and can age 10-15 years more.
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4/3/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Better on the nose, with its truffle, earth, plum, tobacco leaf, and plum nose, than on the palate, which expresses the austere side of the vintage. The wine tries to soften and fill out, but it holds on to its tannic spine, dusty tannins, and firm, old-school, classic edge. It will be long-lived, but it is not a hedonistic Pomerol. Drink from 2023-2045.
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11/6/2022 - kkim91 Likes this wine: 92 Points
The oldest vintage I have ever tasted and I was surprised how well it was preserved given that the cork looks almost new. Unfortunately drank too fast as the wine only really started to show character after opening and decanting for about an hour. Very well structured and round tannin in which it was well integrated. Finish was not long, but notes of red fruits dominated.
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11/3/2022 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine:
Possibly would have wowed more if it hadn't followed the dynamite 1998. It had a lot of the same attributes with that succulent tautness and snap but took a bit longer to compose itself without managing to pick up the same intensity or precision.
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9/23/2022 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
With four hours air wonderful. Porcini, dark fruits, some autumn leaves.
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8/13/2022 - LB88 wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully resolved with delicate sandlewood and cigar flavours. In a very good place. Optimal drinking now from a magnum
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7/7/2022 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
Impressively deep and seductive. Still early drinking window but like it here.
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4/30/2022 - Waël Likes this wine: 97 Points
Exactly what you would expect an old Bordeaux experience to be. Dark ruby red in the glass and almost viscous on the swirl. Immediately explodes with earthy aromas- black truffles, moist forest floor, ash, and spices. Over time, the earthiness gives way to subtle red fruit, which doesn’t last long. A few hours in the air and the nose becomes meaty, dominated by gamy aromas, charcoal, and wood. The palate is surprisingly fresh and vibrant, but the tannins are subtle and very courteous. Analogous to the nose, it starts off with earthy flavors, which then give way to chewy meaty ones. Red berries, menthols, dark spices, and star anise eventually give way to a long finish of dates, ripe red fruit, leather. Fantastic wine in fantastic company. It still has a few years potential ahead, but if you have one, drink it now. Life is short and fragile.
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2/14/2022 - John III Likes this wine: 95 Points
Feb 2022: I bought this bottle from Ben Wallace at cellaraiders back in 2020. Perfect cork soaked about 1 centimer. The rich perfume upon opening struck me and pleased me as well-aged Bordeaux always does. Decanted in the cold basement for 2 hours. Drank with beef tenderloin, sauted red potatoes, and red bell pepper, with a side of shishito peppers. Beautiful ruby edge. Smooth as silk. Swirl in the glass, let it sit a minute, then inhale, sit back, and revel in the wonderful aroma. I don't have a word to describe it. Tastes of mineral, licorice, peppers, deep, dark chocolate. What a pleasure and a delight. Thanks, Ben!
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12/23/2021 - Burgnick wrote:
Served from a 6L. Still painfully young in the format. Lots of dark fruit with hint of herbal character.
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12/22/2021 - hrazdiiv Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have been fortunate enough to have this wine many times in the past decade and it never disappoints, though this last tasting was not as good as others consumed even a few years ago - tough to tell if it's bottle variability or just aging trajectory. This particular bottle had perfect color and pristine cork, so far so good. But it was a bit soft on the nose, perhaps I should've decanted (we didn't). On both the nose and the palate it showed more of the earthy, savory elements rather than fruit: lots of dark chocolate, charcoal, and pencil lead, all classically styled and backed by some pleasantly soft but present tannins. The wine held together all evening, and did indeed open up a bit, suggesting that I did indeed make a mistake in not decanting. Still, tough for me to say this is, say, a 20yr wine at this point. While it still has beautiful structure and color, I think it's definitely peak drinking now almost for certain. Beautiful treat, once again.
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11/12/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Getting the gang together @ Wus (plus birthdays!) (Wu's Wonton King): Drank next a bunch of other '95s although this was the only right bank wine. It needed some time to open and I think could possibly have used a decant. It's a big and powerful wine. Long life ahead.
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11/3/2021 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
In its drinking window. Chocolate, lush, round. Good length.
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6/4/2021 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
@Ancora fine dining
Bricking red in color. Full bodied
Mushrooms, loamy, forest floor
Silky smooth. Integrated tannin. Medium plus finish. Tastes like the nose. Good wine. Thanks Peter.
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5/9/2021 - mflesh wrote: 97 Points
This one was opened alongside a 1995 Chateau Haut Brion. This wine has reached pop and pour status in my opinion, yet was still decanted. The classic Bordeaux nose was certainly here. Black cherry nitrogenous funk and was actually getting a little bit of meaty and smoky notes as well. The entry was actually very obtuse, excellent and opulent mouthfeel. Dirty black cherry and a whole lot of it! Within the first hour, if votes were taken, almost everyone in the group would have voted this wine as the clear winner over the HB which was definitely struggling to get going on all aspects. This wine had a great black cherry core, I was getting a little bit of mint, dark chocolate, ground coffee bean. This one finished with a fair amount of black pepper and very good acidity. I was always told to have a Trotanoy as an "ace in the hole" whenever a left bank enthusiast opens up a left bank wine and then immediately tries to declare victory. Now I know why! Only this time, both wines were mine! A fun comparison, and I will be looking to replace this one soon!
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4/10/2021 - NBouras915 wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful wine. Perfect cork. Needed 3 hour in the decanter to fully open.
I have 4 bottles left. I will wait 2 years for the next
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3/13/2021 - Alexey Muratov Likes this wine: 93 Points
I’d like it, but think it was too early. Lot of tanninseven after 4 hours decanting
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2/23/2021 - valedeniro wrote: 94 Points
Another bottle of this.Racy nose shows black fruit,kirsch,truffle,black chocolate and wonderful earthy notes.Well balanced,with very racy and silky tannins,perfectly integrated acidity and a very long finish.A little bit less harmonious than the last 2 bottles .. but nevertheless very good.
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11/9/2020 - B Paul wrote:
Decanted and enjoyed over 3-4 hours. Cherry, chocolate and spice. Professionally stored by original owner since release this bottle was in fantastic shape and quite youthful. As good as this is, it really probably needs just a little more bottle age. Drink 2023+?
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10/31/2020 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Absolutely rocking. Yes, I guess it's probably on the young side, but it was paired with Wagyu and so that youth really stood up very well to the fattier meat. Lots of darker red fruits. Very much enjoyed.
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7/12/2020 - AWBryce wrote:
plum, vegetal, dark fruits on the nose; palate is starting to resolve, smooth, some aged notes of forest floor; in a lovely spot
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7/3/2020 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 95 Points
Popped this open and let it breathe for about 4 hours in the bottle (no access to a decanter). Very nice nose of violets, cedar, red currants, a hint of menthol. Palette was vintage RB, but a bit shy. Fortunately, we were on our way out the door and put the cork back in the bottle overnight, because when we popped this back open the next day we encountered a very different bottle of wine. This was singing immediately out of the bottle now; it clearly needed the time with the cork popped to start to show its true, lovely colors. A more pronounced nose of violets, moist earth, fresh cut cedar, leather, and black pepper. On the palate it was just as delightful, with creme de cassis, black fruit, red fruit, tea, and a lovely mineral component that stitched the whole glass together. If you can get this for under $200, this is a buy now and for the next 10 years.
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2/28/2020 - curtr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very young. Paired with 1997 Dominus, which showed as more developed tonight. I agree with the comment that the 1995 needs around 10 years develop. A 93 now. Should improve 2 points in the future. Decanted 1.5 hrs and followed in the glass for 2.5 hrs. I felt that there was more lurking in the background, but hidden by the tannins. Drink 2030- 2040.
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2/18/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind after the 95 and 86 Cheval Blanc, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this. There seemed to be a lot of black fruit and ganache, pointing toward a relatively high Merlot content, but also a conspicuous herbal character pointing to a significant minority of cab franc. I thought we might still be on youngish Cheval, but no - Trot. This was pop and pour, but these still need a lot more time.
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2/8/2020 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
A very different experience from the Lynch-Bages tasted alongside (fellow CTers- if interested, my current take on what to do with 1995 is embedded in that tasting note), deep purple red young color, pepper and plums on the nose, on the palate a hint of secondary development with some lovely forest floor notes, cherries, pretty but also still primary and seeming half-asleep, where the 95 Lynch-Bages tonight (and 1995 Margaux in December) suddenly switched into a hard finish, this one shifts quickly into a very neutral state, the finish is there and a bit clipped- but rather than being harsh it is just very quiet, no harsh acids or tannins- just a soft landing if you will, I have never seen anything quite like it, this is one where I would definitely wait another decade at least before trying again since it has not gotten harsh yet on the finish- and is still in development, so I have more hope here than for other wines, but time will tell.
At best **** eventually, it is less extreme right now, but this does not have the 5 star potential of Lynch-Bages or Margaux if this vintage ends up coming out well balanced when it finally matures.
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2/7/2020 - cnordstr wrote: flawed
corked
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1/4/2019 - the player Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous bottles. Very masculin, monster of power, deep ruby color, lots of leather and earth undertones cloaked in dark red fruits and spice cake. Very long finish but this bottle was a bit restrained with tannins still present.
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11/9/2018 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Keeps getting better with age. Deep crimson color, almost viscous, very rich nose of blackberries, currants, leather, coffee. Masculine yet with a velvety touch and balance that Trotanoy is so good at attaining. Full bodied, solid mid palate with vivaciousness and power, and such a long and gratifying bitter chocolate finish.
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6/20/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Acker Auction - June 2018 (Laduree NYC W Broadway): Very nice wine. Still super young. Very bright. It's got a pretty strong tannic backbone. Some darker fruits. It's a wine that seems like it has all of the stuffing and just needs a bit more time.
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5/26/2018 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A lovely wine at present, but showing quite young. The nose gives off subtle aromas of cedar, tobacco, and berries. The palate is a cornucopia of flavors. At the forefront is iron, espresso, fig, dark fruits, and milk chocolate on the lingering finish. Tannins are softening. It was a beautiful pairing with the lamb loin at Gramercy Tavern.
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5/21/2018 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 94 Points
At peak now. Medium garnet, nose and flavour of blackberry, prune, tea, mineral, savoury, black truffle, expresso and chocolate. Supple and round mouthfeel, supported by refreshing acidity.
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4/18/2018 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine. This bottle was a little funky on the nose very tart but the palate was good. Dark red fruits, iron, mint, anise, dark chocolate, leather, firm and soft at the same time, good acidity, balance mid palate and a masculine finish with tannins well resolved after a two hour decant. Medium to full bodied.
Although the more recent vintages are more well rounded and refined, I find some of these old vintages even the 82, 83 and 90 to have more character even though they are rougher around the edges.
This is why Trotanoy will remain one of my favorite Pomerols.
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10/21/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 92 Points
Still fairly young and needs a 2-4 hour decant at this stage.
A very good wine, but not better than the 1999, and the 2006 and 2011 were substaintially better. The later vintages are more lush and plummy. Trotanoy has been modernized in a good way.
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9/27/2017 - Mathijs81 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Now this is how one opens a small Pomerol tasting ... immediately with the wine of the night !!!
This was tasted blind and we all got the vintage wrong ( starting with 2000+ ).
+ Colour - not what one would expect from a 20+ year old vintage
+ Nose - blood/iron, red fruits ( dimmed ), woody, mint
+ Taste - so soft, so round, so velvet, herbal, woody, sensual, Mon Chéri bonbon, moka ( coffee )
+ Finish - vanilla, mint, coffee, dried fruits, quite delicate
Very much THE surprise of the evening .... this is what nicely aged Bordeaux is all about !!!
Mathijs
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8/2/2017 - valedeniro wrote: 96 Points
Another stunning bottle of this.Once again,intoxicating nose of black fruits,truffle,dark chocolate,tobacco,white pepper.This has developed wonderfully over the past 4-5 years,adding weight and complexity.Velvety texture,with great power and depth and with a long,complex and racy finish.Potential for at least another 10-15 years.Terrific !
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6/25/2017 - Der Weingelehrte wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. In a great spot now, but not falling off the curve any time soon. Aromatics & elegance is the game here. Classic in style. Burgundian sensibilities.
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6/25/2017 - ctc wrote: 95 Points
A mature wine, deep red with tones of black. Notes of tobacco, chocolate, very soft on the palate and not a tannin to be found. A very refined attack, well balanced throughout and a medium length finish. A lovely, lovely wine. I'd guess it would have lasted where it is now for another 5 years or so.
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4/22/2017 - Slics wrote: 89 Points
Lost notes but from memory, evolved dark fruits, tobacco and a bit of must. Lovely palate with fine tannin and still good acid. Should last a good bit longer. Slight off-note on nose was either a bit of cork taint or I'm just not used to older wines. Purchased at auction.
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4/12/2017 - the player wrote: 93 Points
Very masculine with dark red fruits, leather, bitter chocolate and raspnerries. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. Finishes soft and long. Full bodied and to me pure magic.
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2/26/2017 - Fred_Bo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow!
Full beast of cabernet franc! Oh the glorious chocolat, fresh pressed coffee, sweet fruit and delicious berries! Wow again!
This is really becoming a beautiful wine but indeed gets a lot better!
My goodness, how I adore right bank Bordeaux when it's this quality!
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2/3/2017 - GA Old World Guy wrote: flawed
Had seen some heat and a faulty cork
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11/26/2016 - canan wrote: 95 Points
BYO @ Mathias: Great wine..
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10/30/2016 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 93 Points
Not as brooding and backward as many from 1995, this wine still needs a bit more time to open. In fact, I would go as far as to say the 1998 and 2000 are more open than this bottle was. Still, there is beautiful red plum on the nose, with some nice cedar and undergrowth to complement it. Soft on the palate with nicely integrated tannins. The balance is excellent overall, ending in a smooth, fresh finish. But despite this bottle, I will still reach for my Pomerols first when it comes to 1995 Bordeaux.
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9/3/2016 - aquaman Likes this wine: 94 Points
First time drinking this..pnp..little sediment..
Wine special order and came from chateau..
M body.. No tannis.. No heat..not bad easy drinking.. But for $200 I don't know if I will get more
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9/2/2016 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
LPV Oslo 06/16 - Classic Bordeaux nose (cassis, cedar), refined and complex, but which immediately takes you to the Left Bank. Well balanced, the wine is medium bodied and the mouthfeel is pleasant but not particularly lush. The wine doesn't appear ascetic but is endowed with a strong acidic backbone. Great tannin quality and length. Very surprising for a 90% Merlot / 10 % Cab Franc wine!!!
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5/21/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really stood up well to the Latour 98 that we drank just before it, amd Latour is my favorite all time wine. Deep crimson, hardly any signs of aging, lovely nose of truffles, blackberries, crushed stones, pepper. Was not left in decanter long enough to soften up so came out with a velvety but masculine palate, full bodied, tannins well integrated but by no means fully melted, mocha and raspberry long finish. What a delight this wine is and so happy I have a case and a half that I can savour over the next 5 years and see how this wine evolves.
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5/6/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely Trot, see previous notes, still needs time in decanter to open up, at least two hours. Solid backbone, masculin yet elegant pomerol.
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4/10/2016 - valedeniro wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 3 hours.Intoxicating nose of Kirsch,strawberry jam,truffle,dark chocolate,leather,tobacco,white pepper ..... I just couldn't stop smelling it.On the palate it tastes pretty much what it shows on the nose .... it is medium bodied,well balanced,with very racy and silky tannins,perfectly integrated acidity and a long,long,finish.This is crazy good.Should last for at least another 10-15 years,or even more.
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4/10/2016 - englishman's claret wrote: 96 Points
Years of pleasure in store, here. Despite all the Merlot, this remains young - but it's a 95, so who's surprised about that? This is in early maturity now and evolving nicely so it's a good time to pull the cork if you've got a few. Quite solid on opening; rich damson, chocolate, leather, tobacco; with air it gathers more elegance (finesse, dare I say?) and a lovely mineral/cardamom profile. At times, quite smokey. Rather round and supple in the mouth. Long and positive finish.
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4/9/2016 - RockinCabs wrote: 96 Points
Nose: Damson, Black Cherry, Raspberries, leather, explosive spice notes, claY and candied strawberries. Palate: Sexy caressing feel with not one tannin to be seen. Red/Black fruit accented by beautiful Chinese five spice, cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Exotically balancing fruit spice and earth. Finish: elegant on the way out. lovely wine.
This was slightly elusive with windows of openness that revealed the wine above. Ying to the Baron's Yang. This blows away the 1990 version. Decant a few hours and you will be rewarded.
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3/29/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of my favorite wines of all time. Can't get enough of this elegant, balanced yet masculine wine. Truly Petrus' cousin. 2-3 hours in the decanter and this wine was in full stride. Deep ruby red, nose of raspberries, blackberries, truffles, leather and bitter coffee and spice. A beauty on the palate, great lift mid palate with fruit and leather coating the mid palate, solid backbone, great acidity, complex finish with dark chocolate finish. Real value for money. Priceless hedonism.
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3/16/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS March 2016: Plum, cherry, pencil shavings, blood and a citrus floral note. Great structure on the palate, the tannins are assertive but are fine and don't dominate the fruit flavours. Drinking well at this point I think, but over the next 8-10 years this should deliver a lot of pleasure.
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2/17/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 93 Points
See previous notes. Delicious but needs an hour or two in decanter.
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2/14/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 94 Points
Best bottle I have had. Lovely delicious mature and masculine Merlot. Deep dark ruby red color, opened and decanted, left for an hour than drank over two. Great nose of raspberries, mushrooms, leather, scorched earth, and candied strawberries. Robust entry on the palate, great fruit, depth and complexity mid palate, resolved tannins, full bodied, great balance and acidity, this wine still has legs, and finishes hedonistically long. One of my all time favorite Trots.
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12/12/2015 - Fantomas Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Definitely had seen its peak a while ago. Nose very licorice. Palate lacks fruit, attack. Very narrow character, short length. Disappointing.
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10/23/2015 - galenico Likes this wine: 94 Points
GRANDI MERLOT ITALIANI: Degustato alla cieca. Già il colore fa presagire una maturità e sottiliezza di beva superiori rispetto agli altri mostri scuri italiani. Tabacco e terra, poi tanto pepe. La componente vegetale è in primo piano, e scolpisce un profilo quasi "immaturo" e non perfettamente compiuto, segno di un annata media. Ma tutto questo non fa che aumentare l' eleganza, la leggerezza e la bevibilità dell' insieme.
A centro bocca pare quasi annacquato, ma sul finale riacquista slancio e la persistenza è doppia rispetto agli altri vini con il doppio di corpo.
Segno che per durare non serve essere grossi e muscolosi!
Il finale affumicato merita la degna consacrazione di vino della serata.
Chapeau
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10/5/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 95 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose of acute greenery on the pop, followed by more nuanced berry, herb, tree and wet forest. Initial palate of tight very green notes, green pepper, minerals, crushed rocks opens to some semblance of silky black cherry fruit. Such a baby with decades left to mature. Extremely powerful and well made. Decadent.
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9/28/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
A bit of discolouration around the rim, less dark than the 1998 Canon-la-Gaffeliere tasted alongside. Rich, sweet, floral, layered and complex on the nose. Lots of red and dark fruit, spices, coffee, smoke. Sweet, succulent fruit on the palate, lots of concentration, but great acidity and grip, tannins a little drying and powerful. Quite firm still. Fantastic length. No rush at all drinking this. 94-95+
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9/24/2015 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
A bit of bret at first, clean fresh body, great balance and ripe fruit. There was a bit of band aid on the finish but it wasn't off-putting.
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9/24/2015 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
TN: Dinner 95 & 98 Rayas, 03 Lafite, 95 Trotanoy, 04 Blankiet, 05 Dom and etc. (Eddie V's): I guess the shape of the stem matters. First poured into a Burgundy stem and almost no nose. Sensual nose displaying subtle black fruits, a hint of cassis, plum, chocolate, caramel, cedar and truffle. There is a hint of green that gives nice energy. Very polished, subtle cassis fruit driven palate impression, silky and round, good acidity, nicely integrated tannins and seamless clean finish. Classic perfectly mature Pomerol that is drinking beautifully. I highly recommend.
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9/24/2015 - madeiradog Likes this wine: 95 Points
A little bit of funk adds a nice touch to this deep and rich pomerol. Nose of iron, violets and hint of bandaid. Great mouthfeel, once sturdy tannins receding and giving way to the fruit - mellow, complex and pleasing.
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9/9/2015 - etyc wrote:
Our 2nd wine. Earth, blood/iron on nose. A bit rounder than first, with notes of chocolate & dark-berries. Liked this better than the 1st, and thought that this was the Calon...
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9/8/2015 - Tad GW wrote: 95 Points
50+5+13+18+9=95
This is a real beauty. Ripe, rich, complex Merlot with a beautiful bouquet. We had it with lamb shanks and it made the meal a fabulous one. I think it has years of life ahead of it but it's hard to imagine it getting any better than it is now.
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8/7/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Over the years, at age 20, this has morphed into a delicious Pomerol, with round, sensuous textures, plummy, chocolate covered fruit and a silky finish. The wine is drinking great today, and it should remain at this level, or even improve for at least another 10,15 or 20 years.
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5/17/2015 - hrazdiiv Likes this wine: 96 Points
I've tasted this wine many times over the past 10yrs and it continues to be the epitome of Bordeaux. A beautifully styled, elegant wine that cannot possibly be mistaken as originating from any other region in the world. Opened with still a medium-dark colour, with amazing notes of earth, leather, cedar and spices. Still a great finish, 30 seconds+. I had the wine in the glass of the better part of an hour and it did not miss a beat. Having tasted this wine many times, the only criticism I'd render is that 20 years on the fruit is fading just a touch and the wine is not as well integrated as it used to be. Previous bottles I've tasted merit near-100 point scores. As one of the other posts said, this is absolutely one of Bordeaux's best producers, I dare anyone to taste it beside a First Growth and declare otherwise.
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5/16/2015 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
Stellar Night of Bordeaux; 5/15/2015-5/17/2015 (NYC): Shy nose at first, showing a bit medicinal. With air this becomes vinous and classic, sporting a exotic bouquet after all the Left Bankers. Really good core of ripe fruit, classy, comes across almost like a restrained Cali Cab. Still young, but sexy.
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5/16/2015 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Old Bordeaux with Patrick back in town (Fabio's, NYC): Loved this. So flamboyant on the nose, with sweet sandalwood, floral, and other exotic spicy notes framing a core of rich red fruits and more savoury earthy elements. Still rather primary, but much more appealing to drink right now than the '95 GPL was, with the tannins feeling more silky.
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3/29/2015 - conviction buy Likes this wine: 93 Points
A more evolved wine than the l'Eglise Clinet 95, dark red, aroma of plum, black fruit. Intense on palate, good structure from tannin without any rough edge. Lovely.
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12/26/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big nose of leather and funk but fruit soft and nice. Seems about at its peak.
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6/17/2014 - wythes Likes this wine: 96 Points
It was love at first sniff! Reminded me of a 1990 Angelus I had that was equally as beautiful.
The nose on this baby was classic Pomerol. Stinky, but in a refined and age worthy and classic way. The mouth feel was spectacular - smooth as silk with the right balance of acidity and fruit. Some brick coloring, but not a lot.
If Grace Kelly were reincarnated in a bottle of wine, this would be her - hands down the most beautiful woman in the room, but she still acted with humility, class and elegance.
A beautiful wine that's drinking extremely well right now. Well worth tracking down a bottle or two.
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2/16/2014 - bill00 wrote: 93 Points
Similar notes to bottle from a couple of months ago. Young and structured with lots of tobacco leaf.
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12/26/2013 - bill00 wrote: 93 Points
Young but drinking really well. Plum and tobacco leaf. Classy and elegant.
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11/15/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Developing nicely, with its plum, cocoa, truffle and tobacco character. Slightly masculine, in fact it's a bit on the firm side for Pomerol, iit's worth popping cork today. However there is no hurry to drink this wine.
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9/25/2013 - Claret & CdP Gang wrote: 94 Points
Color: still deep red
Nose: beautiful rich pomerol nose, cassis, dark black berries, raspberries, licorice
Palate:a full bodied wine, opulent, soft entry, long finish, drinking beautifully now but can still keep, caresses, great balance, classy, silky, delicious, a v good trot
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6/6/2013 - AndrewSGHall Likes this wine:
Lovely stuff. Dark side violets and lush fruit working in harmony. Quite enjoyable.
This did taste like more than a 18 yr old Trot though via the texture and (pleasurable) aged Pom notes. I don't lament drinking at this point at all.
eta - This felt longer than the 5 yrs since my last note.
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3/2/2013 - dkentaustin Likes this wine:
Sommelier 1995 Bordeaux Tasting - "Boisterous violets and lavender, lovely anise and black currants; voluptuous body and strong, but well-integrated oak tones with a shy shade of pyrazine; slightly higher alcohol and tannin than the rest of the flight, but it offers a nice expressive contrast; Youthful, drink or hold, but drinking very well now." -Scott Ota. All wines were opened and poured.
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2/3/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super Bowl 2013 (Cumming, GA): Lighter red in color than other Bordeaux that evening, 1/4" bricking; pretty nose of floral red fruit; tart cherry pit on the palate, rich, long finish of red licorice, a little heat that could have been toned down by a little more chill, ashy, sexy and seductive even though the tannins are still kicking hard, sweet and slightly bitter finish for balance. Not ready yet in my opinion.
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1/19/2013 - Wicked Panda wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful notes of plum and dark fruits, a good finish that kept going. Took an hour if decanting to open up. Initially very tight, then funky, then wonderful. Glad I took a chance on a half price sale.
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12/27/2012 - CManthei Likes this wine: 97 Points
Black truffles, chocolate, cherries and earth are all blended perfectly in this beautiful Pomerol. Had this wine in the decanter for 3 hours, but it kept opening and revealing more and more. It is actually still pretty big, making me think that it will still be delicious in 5 or more years.
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12/24/2012 - Fantomas Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beautiful blend of fresh red and jammy fruit (plums) plus hints of chocolate, vanilla, and tobacco. Very smooth and continues to build on the palate for a long time. Has its edges but finishes long with lasting and round after-palate. Grand !
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8/12/2012 - the player wrote: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully. Same note as previous bottles.
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3/28/2012 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
China Club BYO (Hong Kong): Slight oxidation with a dark black core.
Nose of plums, tar, tobacco, spice and vanilla.
Smooth mouth with a medium finish
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3/28/2012 - DonalOB wrote: 93 Points
China Club BYO (China Club, Hong Kong): Spicy red and darker berries on the nose. Leather. I thought I got slight green background. Good finish.
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3/6/2012 - jsebiri wrote:
Very well done.Complex.Leather.Nice red color.Secondary flavors well in tune with a fine Bordeaux.Really nice bottle of wine.
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10/30/2011 - the player wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully made, 3 hours of decanting, this wine is in full equilibrium and providing great pleasure in drinking. Bricking is now evident on the rim, nose very earthy at first and evolves into sweet and spicy dark red fruit compote, hints of tobacco and mushrooms. On the palate fresh and juicy, nice balance between earth and fruit, alluring finish.
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10/29/2011 - Yiannis wrote: flawed
Only slightly oxidized but absolutely drinkable. Dark garnet, showing an extremely attractive character despite oxidation. Did not discard it, and made a nice pairing with grilled veal fillet.
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10/9/2011 - Andice wrote: 90 Points
Brick orange, aged colour.Fantastic nose of sweet fruits and violets, very alluring. Elegant attack, not abrupt, and transition smoothly to a complex mid-body. Tinge of alcohol and bitterness. But finishes well >10 secs. WOTN (9.0/10)
. http://sgbordeaux.blogspot.com/2011/03/ch-trotanoy-vertical-tasting.html
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9/20/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Licorice, black raspberries, truffles, chocolate covered plums, earth and spicy black cherries race from the glass. Tannic and broad shouldered for Trotanoy, the wine offers depth and refinement. But lacks the plush, sensuality of the best wines from Pomerol.
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6/11/2011 - the player wrote: 94 Points
Amazing improvement in less than a year. This wine continues to evolve and I suspect it may reach its full maturity next year. Excellent wine. Decant at least 3 hours. See previous notes.
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5/4/2011 - takeuchi wrote: 92 Points
Decanted, but drank immediately. Fruity, round bouquet, a bit raisiny. Raspberries, charcoal, graphite notes on the palate. Good balance, not overly tannic, classic Pomerol. Should have let breath a couple hours. Good to drink for at least next 10 years.
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3/26/2011 - astroman wrote: 95 Points
Compare to the 96 nose it is more focus and structured. Expressive nose tobacco, coffee w good weight on palate fine tannins. Seemly lacks finish. Would suggest to leave for 2-3 years before drinking.
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2/18/2011 - the player wrote: 93 Points
Same as note before. Excellent wine
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1/9/2011 - the player wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 4 hours, same as previous wine. Lovely wine drinking beautifully now
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11/22/2010 - the player wrote: 93 Points
Despite my previous note, I was too tempted to retry this wine. Decanted for 3+ hours and the wine was in perfect drinking state. The nose opened up to a perfume of rasberry compote with some flowery / sandal notes, sweet tobacco and truffles. Great attack, full mid palate of dark red fruits, some vanilla, truffles and notes of earth, and a very enjoyable finish. This wine is open for business but still requires time to soften up.
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10/29/2010 - the player wrote: 93 Points
Although a great wine I was slightly disappointed after waiting 6 months to get my cases straight from the Chateau through my wine merchant. Nose closed at the outset with around 1 hour decanting needed for it to open up to graphite, earth, dusty cherries and tobacco whilst after 3 hours the nose hinted at some strawberries and vanilla although barely. Beautiful deep crimson color translucent red rim rich and thick. No sign of ageing. On the palate a lot of earth, iron, hidden red fruits and strong tannins which then melt after 3-4 hours to offer full leather, red currants and berries, elegance and velvet. Not the longest of finishes but a very pleasing wine to drink. The 2005's are certainly in a different league when I sampled a bottle in March. I will let the 1995's rest in my cellar for another month before I resample. I'm now eager to try some other Trotanoys from the 1998's case I just received!
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4/7/2010 - vindictive wrote:
Very young, very merlot. Pleasant enough, but would probably be superb in another 20-30 years.
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3/27/2010 - gripNsip wrote: 88 Points
The nose on this was a brilliant combination of cedar, graphite, deep red fruit with some dried tobacco leaf in the background. Smelled delicious. Great weight on the palate, exuberant flavors of black fruit, blood and tobacco. Long finish, tannins are full but dusty. The fruit lingers well through the finish. My problem here was the heat on the mid-palate and finish along with some un-linear and unbalanced transitions on the palate. Overall the power and quality could be felt, just the execution was flawed for me. Still a very good wine.
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3/27/2010 - tomandlu wrote: 93 Points
Mature Bordeaux at David's (David Paris's place): Intense yet somewhat reticent nose of iron, blood, red clay, tobacco and red fruit that built and bloomed over the course of 3 hours. Similarly bloody - almost viscous - on the palate with substantial ripe tannins and flavors of tar, black cherries and coffee beans. One taster noted that this wine seemed 'hot' but I didn't get that impression. Very long, 30s +, finish that built to a tarry climax and subsided with more tannins. This is a breathtaking wine in the making and one that can be enjoyed now but I'll hold off another 15 years before trying it again.
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3/27/2010 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 92 Points
Blind Mature Bordeaux, 1966-1995 (My house): On the nose, this is showing fairly young with some graphite, nice dusty cherry, and fairly big and dark. Really great structure and balance on the palate, some forest floor, and big tannins build. There's great pleasing cherry fruit as well. On the finish this initially attacks with some cracked pepper and mud, transitioning to the cherry. There's still lots of tannins to chew on, and even a little bit of heat (even at the label's 13.5%, the highest of the night). The finish is tighter than the palate, but despite the slight heat I found this to be a very pleasing, well rounded wine that tasted fairly delicious.
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8/27/2009 - Rani wrote: 94 Points
Showing age with some bricking at the rim. Notes of dried herbs, prunes and cedar. Completely silky in the mouth, some earth tones, plums and thyme. An extremely nice, elegant wine that is just perfect for drinking now.
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8/22/2009 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Dense, youthful and muscular. Notes of kirsch, tar and liquorice with a decidedly earthy note to the finish.
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6/29/2009 - paulevd wrote: 95 Points
Pop and pour. Medium dark red color. Earth and plum on the nose. Letting it settle in the glass for awhile. Earth, mushroom and stone, turning to cherry with a long, long finish. Just a lovely Pomerol. Probably just entering a long drinkability window.
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6/24/2009 - hcampana wrote: 95 Points
1995 Bordeux Horizontal in New York City
Wine 3
Very showy nose. Completely open for business. Voluptuous and full of black fruits and cedar. This is absolutely delicious. The tannins are soft, flavor intensity is awesome. It ends with very nice minerality in the long, flavorful finish. This seems to be Merlot dominated. This is the Wine of the Flight. Given its flamboyance, I will guess Canon La Gaffeliere.
Vino 3
Nariz muy extrovertida. Este vino está listo para tomarse. Voluptuoso y lleno de frutas negras y cedro. Es absolutamente delicioso. Los taninos son suaves, la intensidad de sabores increíble. Termina con una mineralidad marcada y compleja en el final largo y terso. Parece estar dominado por Merlot. Este es el vino de la ronda. Dado su perfil, voy a adivinar que es el canon La Gaffeliere.
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6/3/2009 - City Wine Journal wrote: 84 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. This wine never cooperated. Thin, and a bit of green pepper and marked acidity did not allow the complete strength of core fruit and depth of aromas expected to surface. It was not corked or tainted, just closed for business. This wine was shared with two accomplished, professional tasters (one a noteworthy Bordeaux wine critic), and it was outshone by a 2002 Bon Pasteur. Not reflective of the great terroir and legacy of this Pomerol chateau. My rating, merely 'good', is based on experience today, rather than what I expect or hope will happen next time. This should be a 92-96pt wine. Looks like I had the wine that FireSpeed had, but mine never came around. Five years sounds about right!
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4/27/2009 - hfindlay wrote:
Drank this with a big steak next to a 1997 Phelps' Insignia and it was my favorite, for being so classically older Bordeaux: earth and mushroom notes, with such poise. We hardly decanted at all, but still there was a complexity (chocolate, tobacco) that the Napa cab couldn't match. But for a French merlot, this wine shows some good stuffing. I loved it.
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3/16/2009 - firespeed_1 wrote: 90 Points
The 1995 Trotanoy has a garnet/purple core with a hint of ruby at the rim. At first, the nose was really tight, revealing only aromas of earth and sweet fruit. After 2 hours of decanting, the wine started to reveal itself. On the nose, there was earth/mushroom, black and red fruits, tobacco/herbs and cigar box. On the palate, I got some sweet dark fruits, dark chocolate, licorice and wet stone. The wine was rich, medium to full bodied and nicely balanced, although i would prefer a little bit less oak. The finish was long, 2+ minutes. Some tasters have found the wine very tannic which I did not notice. Maybe the tannic has nicely integrated in my bottle. The wine can be drunk now with pleasure with 2 hours of decanting, although I would recommend 5 more years of cellaring.
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12/23/2008 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Tight and tight. Good nose which finally delivered on the palate after several hours. Really good stuff waiting to emerge.
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12/23/2008 - psmith wrote:
Fairly wrapped up but a nice Pomerol nose with dark fruits and chocolate notes. Showing less on the palate - acid and tannin with a dark fruit core. Lots of potential, needs time.
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11/16/2008 - Pre-emptive wrote: 92 Points
Drank from a half-bottle. Medium dark red and excellent nose. 94 points for the nose and 91 for the rest. The wine has lost some of its baby fat. It was a little better a couple years ago.
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2/1/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 93 Points
Hart Davis Hart Wine Co Comparative Bordeaux Tasting Vintages 1995 & 1996 (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): Totally agree with Parker on this one. Powerful. Plenty of hang time. Oak is a tiny bit out of balance. Better than the 1996 of the same. Dark color - purple (hello merlot!). Red tree fruit is a-plenty.
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2/1/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
HDH 95/96 Comparative Tasting (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): nose: big and dense with cherry, cranberry, and spices
taste: very nice silky and smooth feel on the palate with cherry, cranberry, spices, and some smoke aspects
overall: a very nice wine. A lot of what I enjoy from Pomerols. Finish is a bit quick though
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11/19/2007 - Paul D wrote: 91 Points
Wine Society Pomerol Tasting with Christian Moueix (Merchant Taylors' Hall, London EC2): First bottle corked. Second bottle is medium ruby, slight browning at the rim. Some baked notes here too, but showing more perfume and elegance than the Conseillante. Good density and intensity on the palate, with attractive pure red fruit, good balancing acidity, some quite chewy tannins still on the finish indicating that the best is still to some. Excellent 89-92+.
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11/16/2005 - futronic wrote: 96 Points
Dark ruby colour; opaque. Aromas of cedar, herbs, cherry, earth. Medium-full bodied, elegant, silky wine. Very refined. Cedar, herbs, black fruit on the palate. Long, long finish, with smoke, red fruit, cedar. Absolutely delightful. Young, but outstanding.
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6/7/2005 - PeterC wrote: 93 Points
Ripe plum and earth from the glass, full-bodied, mouth coating fruit on the palate, with a refreshing acidic edge and a never-say-die finish. A little rustic and tannic, but not enough to deter! Brilliant
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7/27/2002 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 93 Points
Deep, dark ruby red. A very faint brown shade at the rim. A very classic nose of leather, forest floor, dark berry leaves. Very expansive on the palate. Broad in structure and packed with layers of dense fruit. Ripe and concentrated. A very complex and multi-dimensional wine. Rich and lush, but packed with tannins that need to flesh out and become more integrated. This wine needs at least 10 to 15 years in the cellar IMO. A great and balanced finish. Perhaps not the longest. That subtracts a few points.
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7/9/2002 - peternelson wrote: 96 Points
Wine House: Cleaner purple; big cassis, classic CS, Heavy t’s, dark, interesting; Long, but slightly bitter finish.
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