Château Tronquoy-Lalande

History

Château Tronquoy-Lalande, located in the heart of its appellation, is one of the oldest crus of Saint-Estèphe. It owes its name to François Tronquoy, the first owner of the estate, and to the place called La Lande where the historic plot of the Château is planted.
It was in the 18th century that the wine estate was created around the remarkable castle built for the Tronquoy family. The plans were made by Victor Louis, architect of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux.

Thereafter, different owners succeeded each other at the head of the property until 1968. Then, Jean Texier and his wife Arlette Castéja-Texier acquired it. The latter managed the property for 40 years.
Then, in 2006, Martin and Olivier Bouygues discovered this vineyard of character. With the advice of specialists, they acquired it, thus marking the beginning of a new era in the history of the property.

They then undertook a major modernization program. This was completed in 2010 with the construction of a large cellar for maturing and a new vat room equipped with a vertical press and 22 thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks.

Terroir & Vinification

The terroir of Tronquoy-Lalande has a soil of predilection for the blossoming of Merlot. This property’s terroir covers 30 ha. This grape variety represents the majority of the vineyard (49%) and underlines a specificity which distinguishes Tronquoy-Lalande from its neighbors where the dominant grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is next at 45%, then Petit Verdot (6%). The vineyard is planted at a density of 9000 vines per hectare. There, the exposure is ideal, very favorable to the maturation of the grapes.

Also, the soil is composed of a mixture of gravel and clay more than 8 meters thick. The gravel has the particularity of being very draining. The clay, on the other hand, retains water in depth and releases it when needed. This vineyard is located 23 meters above sea level. Also, the hillsides formed naturally over the centuries favor the drainage of rainwater. In addition, the Gironde estuary, very close by, acts as a thermal regulator.

Four grape varieties are used in the blend of Tronquoy-Lalande: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Finally, after blending, the wine is tapped and aged for one year in French oak barrels. Château Tronquoy-Lalande offers in certain vintages wines of remarkable longevity. However, once bottled, these wines can also seduce from their youngest age (4 to 5 years).

Tasting

On tasting, one will appreciate the melted tannins, spicy aromas and flavors of tobacco, resin, blackcurrant or licorice which constitute the aromatic identity card of Château Tronquoy-Lalande and give it a well marked personality.

Their Team

• Owner : Famille Bouygues
• General Manager : Hervé Berland
• Exploitation Manager : Yves Delsol