Chateau de Tracy

Chateau de Tracy, a historic wine estate, is nestled in the picturesque town that shares its name, overlooking the Loire River. Its roots trace back to a manuscript from 1396, marking the purchase of Champs de Cris, which still forms part of the estate’s vineyards today.

In 1586, the union of François Stutt and Françoise de Bar brought the lordship of Tracy into the family’s possession, uniting two branches separated for centuries. However, it was in 1952 when Count and Countess Alain d’Estutt d’Assay revived the family business. Today, Juliette d’Assay, one of their four children, leads the estate, preserving its legacy of quality and excellence.

Chateau de Tracy practices natural viticulture and vinification, emphasizing the expression of Sauvignon, the grape variety behind their renowned Pouilly Fumé wine. This dry white wine, exclusively produced from Sauvignon grapes, carries the prestigious Pouilly Fumé appellation. It is vinified, bottled, and marketed by the estate in France and across thirty countries.

The vineyards of Chateau de Tracy benefit from a terroir composed of flint clays, marls with small Kimmeridgian oysters, and limestones or clots. These diverse soils allow Sauvignon to express its complexity fully. Sustainable farming practices, including grass control through tillage and the elimination of insecticides, support environmentally friendly viticulture.

To ensure high-quality grapes, the estate employs techniques like disbudding, leaf removal, higher pruning, and green harvests when necessary. The average yield over five years is maintained at 54 hl/ha. Harvesting is a meticulous process, with grapes tasted in the vines plot by plot to ensure optimum aroma.

Chateau de Tracy vinifies each plot separately, selecting the best bunches and minimizing treatments that could compromise quality. The wines undergo extended aging and stirring, with blind tastings throughout the process to create exceptional vintages.

The estate’s vineyards extend between the Butte de Tracy and the Champs de Cris plateau, showcasing a variety of terroirs, from flint clay to Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone. This diversity contributes to the development of complex aromas and flavors in their wines, making Château de Tracy a hallmark of Pouilly Fumé excellence. The flint terroirs yield powerful and clear-cut wines, while the limestone terroirs produce rich and elegant expressions, resulting in a harmonious blend that epitomizes the essence of Sauvignon.