Château de Tracy: Tasting & Drinking
Having researched the story of Château de Tracy in some depth I have to confess I am entranced by the history behind this estate, its long and noble story, and the remarkable evidence presented which indicates quite clearly that vines were cultivated here many centuries ago (in 1396, to be precise). The château itself carries a worn, perhaps somewhat faded appeal, but it feels genuinely aristocratic, unlike one or two other Loire Valley châteaux that spring to mind (perhaps just down the road from Tracy) which have been restored and embellished, usually during the 19th century, giving them an overly fairy-tale-like facade.
More importantly, perhaps, what of the wine? Looking first to Pouilly-Fumé and specifically at the main cuvée it is certainly a wine of appeal, reliable, consistent and widely distributed. Indeed, a bottle of Pouilly-Fumé from Château de Tracy was my introduction to this famed appellation, more years ago now than I care to remember. The vintage eludes me, but I can still recall the character of the wine, rather grassy and lemony if truth be told, not entirely varietal, but not a wine that speaks solely of a golden-ripe expression of its terroir either.
This view of the wine of Château de Tracy still holds true today; the fruit character often shows a little greenness, the Sauvignon Blanc shining through, the minerality and more complex flavours seen in the greatest examples of this variety – I am really thinking of my favourite wines from Sancerre, especially Chavignol, rather than neighbours in Pouilly-Fumé – never a strong feature of the wine. And so I can’t help but feel I would like a little less varietal fruit character sometimes, and perhaps a little more evidence of terroir, or mineral, or smoke, or something. Nevertheless, to provide balance to this internal debate, I confess I would never shy away from buying a bottle, especially in a good vintage such as 2012. The wines have this character, but they don’t disappoint; there is usually concentration and personality to be found within, and at table they work well with the right assiette.
As for the grander cuvées, these are more impressive wines, which show well whenever I encounter them, which used to be when tasting blind as a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards, or more recently when tasting with Juliette d’Estutt d’Assay. These wines, 101 Rangs and Haute Densité, show increased concentration, a great depth of fruit, in a richer and less varietal style, and they evolve in an interesting manner. They are certainly worth experiencing, but whether they deserve their exalted price tags is something we must all determine for ourselves.
As for the wines from Menetou-Salon, these feel underwhelming, but to be fair it is early days for these cuvées. I hope this new project does not distract the team from the vines and wines of Pouilly-Fumé, where I feels there is still some untapped potential. As for the sparkling wine, La Dame de Tracy, I think this is an exciting project and I look forward to the opportunity to taste future vintages of this cuvée. (5/8/04, updated 31/7/14, 13/8/17, 21/11/20, 14/9/24)
