2016 Larose-Trintaudon: Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

[JimHow]

Following on the heels of the excellent 2015, the 2016 Larose-Trintaudon is another great effort, at a superb price. I got this for $20 on sale in NH. It is 13.5% alcohol, reserved but with delicious ripe notes of cassis, blackcurrants and chocolate on the palate, representative of the 2016 vintage, just as the rounder 2015 personified that year. Lovely structure and balance, light on its feet. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% merlot. I continue to be impressed by this property, especially in those two vintages from 2015-2016. The way the Haut-Medoc should be. 91 points.

[Racer Chris]

• 2018 Château Larose-Trintaudon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (5/18/2022)
  PnP, drank over two evenings. Right out of the blocks this showed well, juicy ripe fruits with herb and mineral overtones. On the second evening the fruit had settled down a little, showing more of the tannins. At this stage it's far from the 2016 which is quite reserved and classic in it's proportions.
  Plus, 14% abv is the highest I've ever noted on their label. (89 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[JimHow]

I was just thinking about this estate, RC, they still have a lot of the 2016 in NH, I'm going to pick up a couple more cases when they go on sale for $20.

[ericp]

Save me one Jim! I haven't drank this wine in 15 year as the couple vintages I tried at the time were thin and as Arv would say, swill. You've got me intrigued with your enablement!

[JimHow]

Will do, Eric, agreed, this is a wine that did not appeal to me in the past but which seems to have stepped up its game in the past decade, I loved the 15/16, and am encouraged by Chris's report on the 18. It's $23 in NH right now, and gets down to $20 when they have their 15% sale.

[stefan]

I am glad that BWE does not have the collective buying power to drive up the price of Larose-Trintaudon.

[Racer Chris]

I am glad that BWE does not have the collective buying power to drive up the price of Larose-Trintaudon.

Me too! Still retailing between $20-22.
Last week I drank the best 2016 I've had so far. My first couple bottles must have been shut down because this one was fully up to Jim's superlative descriptions.
This week we polished off a 2015 (one of my wife's favorite vintages), a 2011, and I'm nearing the end of a 2010 bottle right now.
The best of all them, surprisingly, was the 2011. It's firing on all cylinders at 11 yoa.
I already drank a bottle of the 2018 and plan on buying up to 3 cases over the next year.

[JimHow]

Amen my brother this 2016 is just beautiful, it doesn’t try to be anything more than a nicely balanced, true to the vintage Haut Medoc, alcohol in check, a very nice representation of Bordeaux at a very low price. I had a couple bottles earlier in the summer and they were very lovely. I think they have more in NH, I’m gonna get more when I have a chance to get down that way.

[JCNorthway]

and plan on buying up to 3 cases over the next year

RC, you buy this wine like I buy Felsina Chianti Classico. I just ordered my third case of the 2017 riserva, because it's so enjoyable as well as having some complexity. And it's a great food wine.

[JimHow]

Yeah those 2016 and 2017 Felsinas at all levels are beauties Jon, a good Italian equivalent to Larose Trintaudon in quality and price.

[Dandersson]

Totally agree with RC and Jim on that LT is a great wine nowadays. The 2016 is a great wine and the 2018 is a very good wine. The level of alcohol is a bit high in the 2018. Can't get the 2016 anymore around here which is sad. Drank a lot of them but wish I had stocked up more. Still enjoy the 2018 and looking forward to see what the 2019 will be like. In my opinion there are a lot of really nice Bordeaux wine in the $20-30 range.

[AlexR]

I think Larose Trintaudon is a very good wine, and excellent value for money.

This thread makes me want to go visit them.

Just imagine: they have 175 hectares of vines, i.e. more than entire Burgundian village appellations such as Vosne-Romanée!

AR

[AKR]

I think Larose Trintaudon is a very good wine, and excellent value for money.

This thread makes me want to go visit them.

Just imagine: they have 175 hectares of vines, i.e. more than entire Burgundian village appellations such as Vosne-Romanée!

AR

There are some monster vineyards in California, particularly in the Central Valley, Lodi, inland Monterey, Salinas etc. The San Bernabe farm, which feeds some bulk wine producer whose name escapes me, is 5000 acres.