(95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.71 pH; IPT 79; 13.3% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Ripe but still inexpressive on the nose, offering delicate aromas of red fruits, violet, crushed stone, menthol and wild herbs. Silky and round on entry, then rich and suave in the mid-palate, with a hint of smoky minerality nicely complementing the pure red and black fruit flavors. This is a marvelously balanced wine of great breed and purity. Finishes long, sweet and bright, with very smooth tannins and less of the earthy, leathery qualities found in some other Trotanoy vintages. The 2001 vintage saw a large crop but down slightly from the levels of 2000 and 1999. The growing season featured a wet winter, a fine spring, a dreary July, a warm August (though not as hot as 2000) and a cool but dry September, with low rainfall in August and September. "The 2001 is a very pure, refined and classy expression of merlot--what Bordeaux can do so well," according to Jean-Claude Berrouet.

Tasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2001 Trotanoy is unquestionably a Pomerol that had to endure a difficult infancy before blossoming into the wine it is today. Indeed, both the reviews from Robert Parker and myself were lukewarm out of barrel and in its first few years, perhaps surprising considering the quality of 2001s in this appellation. Now with 15 years under its belt, it is developing far more complexity in aromatics, quite tertiary in style but with plenty of fruit and outstanding delineation. The palate is structured and firm, very focused with a tight grip in the mouth. Unusually, it is the 2000 Trotanoy that is more expressive at the moment since this 2001 is relatively broody and introspective compared to its peers. Yet there is so much energy palpable in this wine, plus a beguiling sense of harmony towards the finish. This is one to watch... Tasted November 2016.