2015 Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande St.-Estephe 750 ml

There are a slew of vineyards in the world that neighbor iconic estates, and many of them turn out exceptional wines. However, it’s an extremely rare site—one packed with undeniable potential—that tempts its famous neighbors to claim it for themselves.

That’s exactly what happened with Château Tronquoy-Lalande. It neighbors iconic Second Growth Château Montrose, and in 2006, that legendary estate jumped at the chance to purchase Tronquoy-Lalande.

They poured in money and marshaled their winemaking team to bring out the best in Tronquoy-Lalande’s distinctive terroir. The result is one of St.-Estèphe’s great insider picks. 

On our last visit to Château Montrose, our host Lorraine explained that Tronquoy-Lalande’s hillside has the same pink heather that gave Montrose (“pink mountain”) its name, but the soil is unique, dominated by a rare mix of clay and gravel that’s even better for growing Merlot.

Lorraine opened a three-vintage vertical for us, and while every wine was impressive, the one that beguiled us the most was the 2015. Crafted from 55% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a dab of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it’s open, refined, and elegant after six years in the cellar, drawing us in with flavors of cherry, blackberry, cedar, and leather. The wine glides across the palate, picking up spice and dried herbal notes, and displaying exquisite balance and marvelous complexity—everything we look for in a Bordeaux. 

James Suckling bestowed a 94-point score on the 2015, and Jeb Dunnuck summed it up as “a smokin’ good bottle of wine.” Softened a bit by age, it is still incredibly youthful and still primary, and its firm grip on the finish foreshadows years of development in the cellar.