Chateau Trotte Vieille 2018

JAMES SUCKLING: "Aromas of ripe berry, mushroom, ash and smoke follow through to a full body with a ripe, juicy center palate and lots of creamy tannins that are balanced and refined. Generous and very intense. Tight palate now. Give it time. Try after 2025."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "2018 marks the year Trottte Vieille really upped their game. From the initial floral centric notes on the nose, you move to the palate with its velvety textured, multiple layers of sweet, lush, pure, silky red fruits, touch of oak, herbs and licorice and a sensuous finish. This is just great in every way. Much better in bottle than in barrel, this is going to offer fabulous drinking for 2-3 decades with ease. I am certain this is the finest wine ever produced from Chateau Trotte Vieille. The wine was made from blending 54% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% ABV."

DECANTER: "Extremely concentrated cassis and bilberry fruits, almost Left Bank on the approach (there is a majority of Cabernet in the blend), until the juice and slate from the limestone comes pouring in through the mid palate. I love this, absolutely delivered on its en primeur promise. A yield of 38hl/ha. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045"

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A decade ago, this estate was in a fallow period, but its wines live up to their terroir. Solid tannins give it dryness and hint at the classic black-currant fruits to come. At the moment, the wine is just starting out, but its elements promise good aging. Drink from 2027."

WEINWISSER: "Sattes Granatrubin mit aufhellendem Rand. Feingliedriges Bouquet mit frischem Schattenmorellensaft, Heidekraut, hellem Edelholz und parfümiertem Pfeifentabak. Am druckvollen Gaumen mit weicher Textur, fein sandiges Extrakt und mittlerer engmaschiger Körper, zarte kernige Noten im Untergrund. Im gebündelten Finale schwarze Beeren, Baumnuss und Koriander. Hier heisst es, Geduld zu bewahren!"

JEB DUNNUCK: "Coming from the upper plateau and always including lots of Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Trotte Vieille reveals a healthy ruby/purple color as well as elegant, complex notes of red and blue fruits, spring flowers, cedarwood, and violets. Beautifully balanced on the palate, it needs lots of air to show at its best, but it's medium to full-bodied and has a focused, firm texture, ripe tannins, and a beautiful finish. As always, this has an incredible floral character, and the purity of fruit is terrific. It needs 4-6 years in the cellar, but I suspect it will keep for 20 years or more. It's one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Feinwürzig unterlegte schwarze Beerenfrucht, Nuancen von reifen Pflaumen, etwas Nougat, ein Hauch von Edelholz, zart nach Vanille. Komplex, extraktsüße Textur, etwas Schokolade, gute Frische, runde Tannine, bleibt haften, mineralischer Nachhall, ein vielseitiger Speisenbegleiter."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Tilts to old school in style, with a mix of savory, warm raspberry coulis, sandalwood, red tea and bitter cherry paste notes mixed together. Finish has good cut and persistence, with a fine-grained cedar note framing it all. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2034."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Trotte Vieille opens with alluring scents of kirsch, baked plums and wild blueberries, plus hints of red roses, dark chocolate, tapenade and fertile loam. The medium to full-bodied palate has ripe, rounded tannins and lovely freshness supporting the juicy red and black fruits, finishing long with great purity."