Ch.Trotanoy 2013 750ml

Wine Advocate #227, Oct 29, 2016, by Neal Martin
The 2013 Trotanoy appears to be maturing nicely in bottle. What I appreciate is the precision on the nose. No, it is not as complex or as intense as other vintages, yet there is admirable detail here, crushed stone mixed with redcurrant and blackberry. The palate is medium-bodied and clearly has commendable depth as it gently grips the mouth. There is substance here, more body if less roundness vis-a-vis the 2013 La Fleur Petrus with a slight edginess towards the finish and a hint of black truffle and smoke on the aftertaste. This should be considered as a success for the vintage and I can see it giving a couple of decades of drinking pleasure.

At this time the Giraud land was referred to as Trop-Ennuie, as evidenced by documents from the late 18th century; literally translating as "too annoying" it is commonly said that it refers to the Trotanoy soils which, being a mix of thick clay and gravel, are tiresome to work, either by hand or by plough. Nevertheless the work must have paid some dividends because during the 19th century the estate was comfortably positioned with the best of the appellation, including Vieux Château Certan and La Conseillante. It was also one of the largest, with 25 hectares to its name, and naturally there was a sizeable production to match, although this was destined to change. From 1898 the estate became more parcellated, due in part to the Napoleonic rules of inheritance and also to inheritance taxes, which saw some of the vineyards sold off. With world war and economic decline this trend would only continue, and after just 30 years the estate, now incorporated as the Société Civile du Château Trotanoy, was reduced to less than half its previous size, just 11 hectares. The Giraud era was drawing to a close.
The first change of hands, after more than two centuries, came shortly after World War II when the Girauds sold to the Pecresse family. Small-time viticulteurs who owned a number of other minor properties, the new proprietors did not hold onto their acquisition for long; in 1953 it was sold once again, this time coming to the Moueix family of Libourne. It was Jean-Pierre Moueix that struck the deal, and today the property is administered, managed and marketed by the next two generations of this right bank dynasty, Christian and Edouard Moueix, on who I have already given a little more history in my Petrus profile, as well as Christian's cousin Jean-Jacques Moueix, who resides at the property.

Meats, Beef and Venison