Chateau Trotte Vieille 2019

The complexity and delicacy of a Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe

The estate
The origin of the name "Trottevieille" dates back several hundred years. Legend has it that there was once a stagecoach stop near the château. As soon as a team stopped, an elderly lady trotted down to get the news, hence the name “Trotte Vieille” (meaning “the Trot of the Elderly”). This Premier Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion is home to a small parcel of vines rescued from the terrible damage caused by phylloxera during the second half of the 19th century.

The vineyard
Enjoying a superb location in the Saint-Emilion appellation and spread over 10 hectares, the Chateau Trotte Vieille vineyard has a terroir of reddish soil upon limestone rock.

The vintage
2019 was a surprising and superb vintage. The year was indeed characterized by a great drought with not too much rainfall. Two summer months brought scorching temperatures. The harvest at Chateau Trotte Vieille took place quite early, from September 16 for the Merlot, to October 7 for the Cabernet. From the very beginning, all the requirements for a superb vintage were met, yielding wines with a gorgeous depth of color, well-rounded fruit, great length on the palate and historically high degrees of alcoholic for all grape varieties.

The blend
Cabernet franc (49%), merlot (48%), cabernet sauvignon (3%).

The tasting
Tasted as wine future, the Chateau Trotte Vieille 2019 sports a beautifully bright red color in the glass. The aromatic bouquet is expressive, charming the nose with fresh notes of red fruit. On the palate, the wine displays a luscious texture with an elegant tannic structure and long finish. This wine is also quite smooth and palatable, product of the great limestone soils of Saint-Emilion. The Chateau Trotte Vieille 2019 is undoubtedly a great vintage that will develop over time and evolve great complexity.