Tronquoy 2022

Gorgeous aromatics, silky tannins, great waves of cocoa bean and plum puree, slow burn on the opening, then the fruit slowly expands throughout the mid palate, strong floral quality on the nose, peony and iris, this is a good vintage of Tronquoy, modern, hard to argue with. Clear tannic grip, give it a few years in bottle.

Tasted blind. Good energy on the nose. Sweet, purple-fruited start. Masses of tannin. So youthful! But very stony St-Estèphe.

The 2022 Château Tronquoy is the finest vintage of this cuvée ever produced, offering fabulous aromatics of cassis, graphite, violets, flowers, chocolate, and earthy nuances. Full-bodied and beautifully rich and textured on the palate, with sweet tannins and a seamless, concentrated mouthfeel, it’s already hard to resist, and as I said from barrel, it shows the ripeness of the vintage while staying pure, balanced, and seamless. It’s going to benefit from just 4-6 years in the cellar and drink well for 25+ years.

59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. Formerly Tronquoy-Lalande. New label with blue typeface; blue wax seal. Cask sample.Lots of energy, the fruit pure and juicy. Aromatic with dark-fruit notes and well-integrated oak. Ripe but lifted. Crunchy tannins on the finish. (JL) 14.5%Drink 2030– 2040

The 2022 Tronquoy-Lalande comes in a new bottle design with a wax capsule. On the nose, it blossoms without any encouragement with copious black cherries, cassis and blueberry scents. The oak is beautifully enmeshed. It conveys a sense of warmth, but retains sufficient delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that frame that multi-layered black fruit. One of the spiciest Tronquoy-Lalandes for some time, with a peacock's tail on the finish. This is an outstanding Saint-Estèphe determined not to lie in the shadow of its sibling Montrose. 2028-2060

The 2022 Tronquoy (formerly Tronquoy-Lalande) is an especially rich and powerful wine, offering up aromas of dark berries and cherries framed by creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate structured around lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the vanillin-inflected finish. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot (which is an atypically high percentage of Cabernet from this estate, especially in a vintage where Merlot delivered better yields), it would appear to be intended to make an impression en primeur, as Tronquoy is now being sold on the place. That's a pity, as this estate's considerable intrinsic qualities would surely have made enough of an impression on their own.

The 2022 Tronquoy contains more Cabernet Sauvignon this year due to the low-yielding Merlot, resulting in an impressive Saint-Estèphe. It was an impressive Saint-Estèphe out of barrel. Now, it has a very intense bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, wilted violets and a slight honeyed aroma. This is well defined, miles away from the Tronquoy I tasted a decade ago. The palate is medium-bodied and very balanced, with powdery tannins and a thread of salinity that gives it an estuarine personality. There's real character to this wine, though I suggest giving it three to five years in bottle before broaching. Excellent. 2028 - 2060

A fresh and solid TL with currants and cherries. Hints of chocolate and spice. Medium to full body. Juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lovely richness and depth. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 6% petit verdot.

Black cherry and damson fruit, intense, concentrated sweet red liquorice and creamy cappuccino, balanced by bitter chocolate and dried herbs on the finish. This is clearly built to last, and excellent quality, in the character of the vintage. Tasted twice. 30% new oak. Harvest September 7 to 23. 37hl/h yield. First vintage without the 'Lalande' part of the name.