Chateau Trotte Vieille

Château Trotte Vieille is an estate in Saint-Émilion that dates back to 1453. The estate has belonged to the Borie-Manoux négociant business since 1949, and in 1955 it was rated as Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the official classification of Saint-Émilion wines.

The origins of the château's name lie in the 14th Century. Legend has it that a little old lady would walk, or trot, down to the crossing where passing stagecoaches from Bordeaux would make a stop. She would hassle travellers for any news from the city, and the people of Saint-Émilion nicknamed her la trotte vieille, or "the old trot".

Viticulture at Château Trotte Vieille was first officially recorded in a document dating from 1453, making Trotte Vieille one of the oldest in the appellation. Indeed, some of the vines in the 10-hectare (25-acre) walled vineyard are more than 140 years old. The dominant grape variety is Merlot, closely followed by Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. These vines are planted in red clay soils overlying limestone.

Château Trotte Vieille's grand vin is Merlot-predominant, as is the second wine, La Vieille Dame de Trotte Vieille. Harvest is done by hand and the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled concrete vats. This fermentation lasts approximately 15-20 days in the case of the grand vin, after which the wine is then aged in oak barrels for 12-18 months.

Borie-Manoux also owns two other properties in Bordeaux: Château Batailley in Pauillac and Château Beau-Site in Saint-Estèphe.