The peculiar name of
Chateau Trotanoy echoes the history of the estate, dating back to the 18
th century, when the property was nicknamed “Trop Ennuie.” This means something like “too much of a bother” in English, in reference to the tedious work involving the "taming" of its terroir. At Chateau Trotanoy, old vines of
Merlot and
Cabernet Franc stretch their roots deep into a dense mixture of clay and gravel, which hardens after rain and becomes very difficult to till. In 1953,
Jean-Pierre Moueix purchased a neglected Chateau Trotanoy and hired
Jean-Claude Berrouet as winemaker. Berrouet retired in 2007, after completing 44 vintages, but stayed on as consultant. Since then,
Eric Muriasco has served as Technical Director of Trotanoy.
Today, the Chateau Trotanoy estate encompasses a
7.2 hectare (17.8 acre) vineyard on the
Pomerol plateau on the Right Bank of
Bordeaux. This vineyard is sustainably managed. The areas of the vineyard with the highest elevations are characterized by
gravel soils, while lower down
clay soils are layered over a subsoil of red gravel and hard,
iron-rich "crasse de fer.
" It is exactly this diversity of soils that contribute such great power and complexity to the wines of Chateau Trotanoy. The vineyard is planted with roughly 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, reflecting the proportions of the blend.
Chateau Trotanoy has over the past few decades become one of the most important references in Pomerol, producing wines of ideal balance, refinement and concentration, along with a
remarkable potential for age. The chateau's namesake First Wine boasts beautiful structure and
aromas of black fruit preserves, chocolate and wild mushrooms. Since 2009, the estate has also produced a second wine called
Esperance de Trotanoy, whose fruit-forward profile make it approachable even after only a few years of age.
