La Dame de Trotte Vieille 2011 – Second Vin

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Since the late 1990s and the arrival of Philippe Castéja at the helm, supported by the late oenologist Denis Dubourdie, this property, magnificently situated on the limestone plateau at the northeast exit of the village of Saint-Émilion, has seduced with its very assertive intensity, but also with its balance, finesse and freshness, offering the personality of a racy, long and slender Saint-Emilion, with all the chic of great Cabernet Franc from very old vines, often in the majority. A recent vertical tasting demonstrates once again that this is one of the great wines of the Right Bank.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

One of the jewels in Borie-Manoux's crown. Legend has it that an old lady who used to live on the estate used to trot along the road to ask the stagecoach for news. Today managed by Philippe Castéja, this 12-hectare estate, located on the eastern slopes of the Saint-Émilion plateau, boasts an original grape variety, with equal proportions of Merlot and Cabernet.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

A traditional Saint-Emilion Premier Cru, Trotte Vieille occupies a superb hillside, a little apart from its peers, capable of producing fine, racy wines with great longevity. It boasts a rare capital of very old Cabernet Franc vines, with which the château produces an unmarketed microcuvée. Philippe Castéja undertook a clear turnaround in the early 2000s, drawing on the sound advice of the late Denis Dubourdieu. The wine is classic in style, expressing itself with a certain austerity in the primeur season, not opulence but freshness of grain and fruit. We awarded it its second star in 2015. Following the 2012 classification, the entire vineyard of Château Bergat (3.5 hectares) is now eligible to enter Trotte Vieille. For the moment, part of it is devoted to improving the second wine, La Vieille Dame de Trotte Vieille.