This is heart-stopping wine. Hedonistic, opulent, sensuous, silky and flamboyant, the decadent, sexy character steals the show. And all the countless waves of dark chocolate, truffles, black cherry, mint, flowers, lilacs, violets and plums on the nose carry through in the 60-second finish. This is a candidate for perfection. Tasted April 20222

An absolutely prodigious wine, the dense purple 2009 Trotanoy exudes extraordinary notes of minerals, forest floor, sweet black currants and black cherry jam along with floral notes and graphite. Very full-bodied, with silky tannins, fabulous opulence and palate presence, this terrific wine should be at its best in 7-10 years and last for 20 or more. Think of it as a more concentrated, “bigger” version of the extraordinary 1998.

This sports a dark, chewy side for now, with overt charcoal and roasted apple wood notes, along with plenty of smoldering tobacco flavors. The core is still a bit chunky as well, with roasted fig, blackberry paste and steeped black currant fruit. But the underlying structure is refined, despite its density, and the finish is very long and purely rendered. Best from 2018 through 2035. 2,250 cases made. — JM

A deep nose of blueberries, with chocolate mousse that turns to licorice and hints of rose petal. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins that fill your mouth. But they are always soft and caressing. They last for minutes. I love the texture to this wine; it is like plush velvet. Best in 2018, but so inviting now.

The 2009 Trotanoy has a broody and what feels like Cabernet-driven bouquet, well defined with touches of cigar box and forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, taut red berry fruit laced with sage, white pepper, hints of fennel and a refreshingly saline finish. This is very promising although, it does not quite possess the persistence of its peers. Sultry, almost saturnine...I guess this is Trotanoy?

Black fruit is a hallmark of fresher years at Trotanoy, and the ripest years sing out with almost confit red fruits and cream. Cream: the apogee of ripeness, but backed by caressing tannins. Great Pomerol can exert an almost visceral, pheromonal appeal: this illustrates that perfectly. Andrew Jefford