Château de Tracy | Pouilly Fumé

Chateau de Tracy has been producing wine from its vineyards since 1396, but the winery owes its current success to the Count and Countess Alain d'Estutt d'Assay, who resurrected the estate in 1952. Today it is run by their son, Henry d'Assay, and his sisters.

An organic approach to viticulture is followed but the Château is not certified as being organic. No pesticides are used, yields are kept very low and strict canopy management is used. The vineyard is located in Tracy sur Loire, on the slopes overlooking the Loire River. The 28 year old vines are planted to a density of up to 17,000 vines per hectare and are  lanted with a south-westerly orientation to provide the maximum exposure to the sun. The clayey flint soil imparts an  assertive charcter to the wines, they are powerful and distinct, while the calcareous Kimmeridgian subsoil produces rich, elegant wines with complex aromas.

The vineyard is managed using sustainable practices, such as leaf thinning, grass ploughing and the use of butterfly lures to reduce the number of chemical treatments required. The ecological system in the vineyard is meticulously considered and practices such as intensifying the organic life in the soil and promoting synergies with the biotope of the soil, leads to the ultimate goal of producing more healthy, balanced and aromatic grapes. The grapes are hand harvested in several triages to ensure the optimal maturity of the berries.

The Mademoiselle de Saint-Baville Pouilly Fumé is made by Comtesse d'Estutt d'Assay, from fruit sourced on the estate in Tracy-Sur-Loire. In its youth it is slightly more approachable than the parent wine Chateau de Tracy which can need a few years in bottle to show its true colours.

Chateau de Tracy Website