Château Tronquoy Lalande, St Estèphe, 2023
Tronquoy, under the stewardship of the Montrose team has emerged as the new giant slayer of St Estephe. Owned by the Bouygues Family, this has become the perfect entry point for those who admire Montrose's imperious style. The 2023 is taut, muscular offering with suggestions of bright cherry and lilacs, followed by a compact core of hedgerow fruit, all framed by persistent, well-judged tannins.
critic reviews
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Tronquoy comes bounding out with eager-to-please notes of juicy blackberries, Morello cherries, and fresh plums giving way to hints of cloves, forest floor, and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet, with a lively backbone and lightly chewy, approachable tannins, finishing on a minerally note. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 11% Petit Verdot.
Medium to full intensity ruby plum colour, higher Petit Verdot than usual in the blend, and it comes through in sappy, lively black pepper spice and dark fruit character, good quality, a little austere. In organic conversion, to be certified 2024. Harvest September 6 to 26.
The 2023 Tronquoy-Lalande was picked September 6 to 26 and contains more Petit Verdot in the blend this year. It matured in one-third new oak plus some newly-introduced foudres and amphorae. Blackberry and bilberry fruit surface the nose, plus a fresh punnet of strawberries. This is quite delightful and full of character. The palate is underpinned by fine acidity. Fresh and quite marine-influenced, this has a silky texture on the finish that lingers in the mouth, representing another superb Tronquoy from a rejuvenated estate.
Containing an unusually high 51% Cabernet Sauvignon this year (complemented by 38% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot), the 2023 Tronquoy offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, burning embers and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and refined palate with good depth at the core, lively acids and a persistent finish. Foudres are now complemented barriques for elevage.