Château Troplong Mondot

The Troplong Mondot vineyard dates from 1700, and its contours have changed little since. The name is a nod to Edouard Troplong, who gave his identity to the estate located at Mondot; the estate's magazine also invokes Raymond-Théodore Mondot, "a peer of France during the Enlightenment." Before the Valette family bought it, the property belonged to Georges Thienpont, owner of the Pomerol estate Vieux Chateau Certan. By 2014 the Valette family had owned Troplong Mondot for almost a century, and Christine Valette had run it alongside her husband Xavier Pariente since 1981. Under her direction the estate began picking later, reducing yields and increasing new oak. The late Christine Valette (1956-2014) is credited with the property's modern rise: Michel Rolland, the estate's longtime consultant, told Decanter.com, "Troplong existed before Christine." He added that she "was responsible for all the successes that it has achieved in recent years." Decanter dates the estate's promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé to 2006, in recognition of its rising critical acclaim, while The Wine Cellar Insider dates the status to Saint-Émilion's 2012 classification. Valette also opened the estate's Les Belles Perdrix restaurant, a first in Saint-Émilion. Xavier Pariente, involved with Troplong Mondot since 2002 in The Wine Cellar Insider's account, remained in charge through the 2017 sale to SCOR.

• Vineyard created in 1700, its contours little changed since; the name nods to Edouard Troplong, who gave his identity to the estate located at Mondot, and the estate's magazine invokes Raymond-Théodore Mondot, a peer of France during the Enlightenment
• Before the Valette family, the property belonged to Georges Thienpont, owner of Pomerol's Vieux Chateau Certan
• Christine Valette (1956-2014) ran the estate with husband Xavier Pariente from 1981; Michel Rolland, her longtime consultant, credited her with the estate's modern successes
• Under Valette, the estate picked later, reduced yields and increased new oak; Decanter dates its promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé to 2006, The Wine Cellar Insider to the 2012 classification
• Valette opened Les Belles Perdrix restaurant at the chateau, a first in Saint-Émilion; Xavier Pariente remained in charge through the 2017 SCOR sale

In 2017 the Valette-Pariente family sold Troplong Mondot to SCOR, a French reinsurance group, for an undisclosed fee. The Wine Cellar Insider relayed a rumored price close to 180 million euros, about 5.5 million euros per hectare, while cautioning that "details on the transaction are a closely held secret." SCOR, formed in 1970, was making its first investment in Bordeaux; the estate presents it as the world's 4th largest reinsurance company. Aymeric de Gironde, who had replaced Jean-Guillaume Prats as managing director of Château Cos d'Estournel in February 2013, left that post for Troplong Mondot, confirming to Decanter in August 2017 that he would arrive by "mid-October at the latest." He had previously worked as international commercial director of AXA Millésimes and for LVMH with Hennessy and Krug. De Gironde is the estate's director and president, and Chairman of the Executive Board. Thomas Duclos of Oenoteam succeeded longtime consultant Michel Rolland at Troplong Mondot; Decanter calls Duclos the new rising star of Right Bank oenology and places him at the forefront of the departure from the "turbo-charged, oaky, high-octane style" of the 1990s garagiste movement, toward the fresher, more subtle style taking hold in Saint-Émilion. The winery was renovated entirely in 2021 and is HQE (high environmental quality) certified.

• SCOR bought Troplong Mondot from the Valette-Pariente family in 2017 for an undisclosed fee; a rumored price near 180 million euros (about 5.5 million euros per hectare) appeared in one trade report, flagged there as unconfirmed
• Aymeric de Gironde, managing director of Château Cos d'Estournel from February 2013 and earlier at AXA Millésimes and LVMH's Hennessy and Krug, was named director, with arrival set for mid-October 2017 at the latest
• Thomas Duclos of Oenoteam succeeded Michel Rolland as consulting oenologist
• Winery renovated entirely in 2021; HQE (high environmental quality) certified

Troplong Mondot sits at the highest point of Saint-Émilion. Its 37 hectares of vines cover three soil types and reach 110 meters, with altitudes ranging from 60 to 110 meters and 360-degree exposure to sun and wind. The hill's soils rest on the Agenais Molasses, clays that have eroded throughout the appellation except on this hill, where they still overlie the asteries limestone typical of Saint-Émilion. The vineyard is planted to about 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc; at the time of the 2017 sale, Decanter gave the plantings as 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc across 33 hectares. Twelve horses plough 100% of the vineyard, and it receives zero herbicide, insecticide or anti-botrytis treatments. The estate has a 15-year collaboration with soil microbiologists Lydia and Claude Bourguignon and a replanting programme in place since 1998, and microbial activity in its soils tripled between 2008 and 2021. The second wine, Mondot, comes from blocks of young vines on predominantly limestone soils, is more than 90% Merlot and sees no new oak.

• 37 hectares of vines, three soil types, up to 110 meters at the appellation's highest point, a 60 to 110 meter altitude range and 360-degree exposure
• Agenais Molasses clay overlying asteries limestone, a profile that survives within the appellation only on this hill
• Current blend about 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc; at the 2017 sale, Decanter gave 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc across 33 hectares
• 100% of the vineyard ploughed by 12 horses; zero herbicide, insecticide or anti-botrytis treatments; 15-year collaboration with soil microbiologists Lydia and Claude Bourguignon; replanting programme since 1998
• Second wine Mondot: more than 90% Merlot, 100% limestone, 0% new oak

The winery was renovated entirely in 2021 and holds HQE (high environmental quality) certification. It was designed for workplace ergonomics, natural light, functionality and traffic flow, and it houses 42 tanks 14 meters underground. The technical approach runs through early harvest, cold maceration, low-temperature vinification, malolactic maceration in stainless steel, and blending before ageing. The grand vin is aged in 50% new barrels, 30% oak cask and 20% one-year barrels. The second wine, Mondot, is aged with 0% new oak. Wax seals have replaced metal capsules from the 2022 vintage onward, and Mondot bottles are 15% lighter.

• Winery renovated entirely in 2021; HQE certified; 42 tanks, 14 meters underground
• Technical approach: early harvest, cold maceration, low-temperature vinification, malolactic maceration in stainless steel, blending before ageing
• Grand vin aged in 50% new barrels, 30% oak cask and 20% one-year barrels; Mondot aged with 0% new oak
• Wax seals have replaced metal capsules from the 2022 vintage; Mondot bottle weight reduced 15%

Troplong Mondot is B Corp certified, assessed across governance, employees, the environment, customers and social commitment, and reassessed every three years. Aymeric de Gironde, Chairman of the Executive Board, called the certification "not an end in itself, but a long-term commitment to progress." Under its "Race to Zero" heading, the estate pledges to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050, and it is committed to the United Nations Net Zero Campaign. It is a silver member of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) and was the first vineyard in France to join that programme. All of the estate's buildings, including the winery, cellars, offices, restaurant and accommodation, are heated by pellets produced from vine cuttings, generating less than 1 tonne of carbon emissions a year compared with 191 tonnes generated through gas heating. The estate also counts a 6,800 square meter permaculture kitchen garden, 1,600 meters of living hedgerows, 1,700 meters of dry-stone walls, 1.89 hectares of natural planting, and a 1,000 square meter forest planted with 1,375 trees on a former vine plot.

• B Corp certified, assessed on governance, employees, environment, customers and social commitment, reassessed every three years
• "Race to Zero" pledge: halve the carbon footprint by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050; committed to the United Nations Net Zero Campaign; silver IWCA member and the first vineyard in France to join that programme
• Estate buildings heated entirely by pellets made from vine cuttings; under 1 tonne of annual carbon emissions versus 191 tonnes through gas heating
• 6,800 square meter permaculture kitchen garden, 1,600 meters of living hedgerows, 1,700 meters of dry-stone walls, 1.89 hectares of natural planting, and a 1,000 square meter forest of 1,375 trees

The estate's restaurant, Les Belles Perdrix, opened in 2013 and gained a Michelin star in 2016; the estate presents it today as Michelin-starred, with a Green Michelin star. Chef David Charrier has presided over the kitchen for more than a decade, drawing on the estate's 6,800 square meter permaculture kitchen garden, and 80% of the restaurant's supply base lies less than an hour away. Pastry chef Adrien Salavert, French Dessert Champion 2026, holds a "Passion Dessert" mention in the Michelin Guide, and Anne-Sophie Besson is Maitre D'hôtel. Accommodation is offered in four suites, The Keys (Les Clefs): The Vineyard House (85 square meters, two bedrooms), The Bell Tower (69 square meters, one bedroom), The Art Studio (86 square meters, two bedrooms, where Christine Valette once set up an artist's studio on the first floor of the main house), and Edouard (43 square meters, ground floor, named for Edouard Troplong). Tours range from the 75-minute Getaway Tour of the vineyard and winery at 50 euros per person to the 4.5-hour Inside the Grape Harvest experience at 1,100 euros for three to six people; the Immersion Tour travels the vineyard by vintage Land Rover before moving to the winery.

• Les Belles Perdrix opened in 2013 and gained a Michelin star in 2016; the estate presents it today as Michelin-starred, with a Green Michelin star
• Chef David Charrier, more than a decade at the restaurant; pastry chef Adrien Salavert, French Dessert Champion 2026, with a Michelin Guide "Passion Dessert" mention; Maitre D'hôtel Anne-Sophie Besson
• Accommodation: four suites called The Keys (Les Clefs): The Vineyard House, The Bell Tower, The Art Studio (Christine Valette's former artist's studio), and Edouard, named for Edouard Troplong
• Tours from the 75-minute Getaway Tour (50 euros per person) to Inside the Grape Harvest (1,100 euros for three to six people); the Immersion Tour crosses the vineyard by vintage Land Rover

Primary sources (producer's own site, fetched as raw page text via curl and tag-stripping, not a summarizing tool): https://www.troplong-mondot.com/en, .../en/our-world, .../en/our-commitments, .../en/our-wines, .../en/our-accommodation, .../en/restaurant, .../en/our-visits, .../en/magazine/building-future-tomorrow-s-memory, .../en/magazine/troplong-mondot-is-b-corp-certified. Secondary sources (also fetched as raw page text): Les Vins de Saint-Émilion (Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, the appellation's official classification body, 2022 classification list); Decanter (Troplong Mondot sale, 2017; Aymeric de Gironde's move from Cos d'Estournel, August 2017; Christine Valette-Pariente's death, March 2014; Bordeaux innovators profile of Thomas Duclos, June 2022); The Wine Cellar Insider (sale report, July 2017). Last verified 2026-10-12. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs; see conflicts.json for the sale-price, classification-year and vineyard-acreage discrepancies. Spot something off? Submit a correction: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdM0MsYoQFCpXb4qbSPVM2TBRuC2624pOhrffs7IGhpfGCCQA/viewform