Ch. Tronquoy

The property was established in the 18th century, taking its name from its first owner (François Tronquoy) and the place’s name, La Lande. The impressive château (which is replicated on the wines’ labels) was designed by Victor Louis, who was also behind Bordeaux’s Grand Théâtre. The property changed several times and fell into disrepair until it was acquired by Arlette Castéja-Texier and her husband Jean Texier in 1968. She restored the property, and the wines gained a reputation for their age-worthiness, if being a little stern in their youth.

In 2006, Martin and Olivier Bouygues – who already owned nearby Second Growth Ch. Montrose – purchased Ch. Tronquoy-Lalande. Their stable of wine estates today includes the legendary Saumur-Champigny domaine Clos Rougeard, as well as Gevrey-Chambertin’s Domaine Henri Rebourseau (where they are a majority stakeholder).

They have invested significantly in the property, including building a new barrel room and winery (completed in 2010), with focus in particular on making the estate more energy-efficient and sustainable. They purchased more land, reduced yields and introduced stricter selection all in the name of improving quality, and have also worked to make the wines more approachable in their youth.

The same team works across both Ch. Montrose and Ch. Tronquoy, previously led by Jean-Bernard Delmas (ex Ch. Haut-Brion) and then Hervé Berland (ex Ch. Mouton Rothschild), before Pierre Graffeuille took the helm in 2022 (coming from the Delon family estates – Ch. Léoville Las Cases et alia), working with the long-time General Manager Yves Delsol.

The estate now consists of 30 hectares of vineyard, sitting on an outcrop of gravel over clay, which stretches eight metres into the ground. Unusually for Saint-Estèphe, the vineyards are dominated by Merlot, which represents 52% of the vines, with 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

The fruit is all hand-picked, with the one and only red wine fermented in cement and aged for a year in around a third new oak, before an additional year in stainless steel prior to bottling. A white wine, classified as a Bordeaux Blanc, was introduced with the 2012 vintage. Coming from one hectare of vines on the estate, it is a blend of Semillon (60%) and Sauvignon Gris (40%), fermented and aged in oak, spending six to nine months on its lees.

The estate officially changed its name from Ch. Tronquoy-Lalande to Ch. Tronquoy from the 2022 vintage, as well as changing the label to a more modern design.