1998 Château Trotanoy

The 1998 Trotanoy, poured from magnum, is ferociously backward on the nose. With black cherries, raspberry coulis, truffle and touches of iodine with aeration, this threatens to overwhelm the senses. The palate is a beast: huge concentration, uncompromising with massive weight; this is a Pomerol that says, "Bugger off and come back in a decade." Well, that's just what I would advise. Poured in Puligny-Montrachet at a private dinner.

Just pure gold in Pomerol, the 1998 offers a still youthful color as well as a heavenly nose of ripe red, black, and blue fruits intermixed with notes of flowers, truffly earth, and cedarwood. The purity of fruit as well as elegance paired with power is just about off the charts, and it's full-bodied, with perfectly integrated tannins, flawless balance, and a finish that won't quit. One of the finest Pomerols to pass my lips, it's firmly in its prime drink window, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this evolve for another 20 years or more.

The 1998 Trotanoy displays a deep garnet-purple color. Wow. Tons of gregarious fruit springs from the glass—crème de cassis, blackberry pie, blueberry compote and mincemeat with suggestions of cigar box, chargrilled meat, incense, earth and dried cherries plus a touch of dried flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it coats the palate with bags of rich, plush textured fruit, offering layer upon layer of exotic spice and savory flavors, finishing epically long and layered. This is mind-blowingly delicious!