In the vineyard
The vineyards cover 7.2 hectares on the plateau of Pomerol situated in between Château Lafleur, Pétrus and Le Pin.
The name Trotanoy translates as “too wearisome to cultivate” as the soil of gravel on clay hardens like concrete following rain, making it particularly difficult to work. It is the density and specificity of the soil that is behind the unique structure, power and depth of the wines of Trotanoy.
The vineyards are planted to 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. The soils are gravel on clay with a subsoil of red gravel, high in iron referred to as “crasse de fer”, a soil type distinct to some of the finest sites in Pomerol.
Over the last 20 years Christian Moueix has been implementing distinct structural changes on the plateau of Pomerol to improve certain parts of the vineyards. Obsessed with the drainage of a vineyard, which he believes represents a site of quality, Christian has since installed seven individual six metre deep wells underneath the plateau to improve drainage in less favourable parts of the site.
The estate carries out deep inter-row ploughing four to six times a year as well as a summer crop thinning to improve concentration of the grapes and pushing ripeness earlier in the season.
In the winery
Vinification is carried out using small concrete and stainless-steel tanks whilst maturation of the wine is carried out in wooden barrels. At Trotanoy they use a maximum of 50% new oak barrels in the élevage process.
Since 2009 the estate has produced a second wine called Espérance de Trotanoy which comes from a specific site on the estate situated in the north eastern part on gravel soil. The wine is more fruit forward than Trotanoy and can be approachable to drink earlier. It is not released every year.