Château Troplong Mondot

According to the estate's own magazine, the Troplong Mondot vineyard "embraces contours that have altered little since its creation in 1700." The property's compound name draws on two historical figures: Edouard Troplong, whom the estate credits with giving his identity to a property already known as Mondot, and Raymond-Théodore Mondot, described in the estate's own magazine as "a peer of France during the Enlightenment." Before the Valette family took over, the property belonged to Georges Thienpont, owner of the Pomerol estate Vieux Chateau Certan, according to The Wine Cellar Insider. The Valette family owned Troplong Mondot for close to a century by 2014, per Decanter, with Christine Valette running the estate alongside her husband Xavier Pariente from 1981. The late Christine Valette (1956-2014) is credited with the property's modern rise: her longtime consultant Michel Rolland told Decanter.com, "Troplong existed before Christine." He added that she "was responsible for all the successes that it has achieved in recent years." Under her direction, Decanter reported, the estate began picking later, reducing yields and increasing new oak, and in recognition of its rising critical acclaim was promoted in 2006 to Premier Grand Cru Classé rank in the Saint-Émilion rankings; a separate account from The Wine Cellar Insider instead dates the estate's Premier Grand Cru Classé status to Saint-Émilion's 2012 classification. Valette was also responsible for opening the estate's Les Belles Perdrix restaurant, a first in Saint-Émilion, per Decanter. Xavier Pariente, who had been involved with the estate since 2002 according to The Wine Cellar Insider, continued to run Troplong Mondot until its 2017 sale to SCOR.

• Estate's own account: vineyard contours largely unchanged since its creation in 1700; name combines Edouard Troplong and Raymond-Théodore Mondot, the latter described on the estate's site as a peer of France during the Enlightenment
• Before the Valette family, the property belonged to Georges Thienpont, owner of Pomerol's Vieux Chateau Certan (The Wine Cellar Insider)
• 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 (Decanter)
• Under Valette, the estate picked later, reduced yields and increased new oak, and was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé rank in 2006 per Decanter; The Wine Cellar Insider instead dates the classification to 2012 (see conflicts.json)
• Valette opened Les Belles Perdrix restaurant at the chateau, a first in Saint-Émilion (Decanter); Xavier Pariente, involved with the estate since 2002, ran it until the 2017 SCOR sale

In 2017, the Valette-Pariente family sold Troplong Mondot to SCOR, a French reinsurance group, for a price Decanter reported as undisclosed; a specialist trade report by The Wine Cellar Insider described an unconfirmed rumor of a price near 180 million euros, or roughly 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, per The Wine Cellar Insider. The estate's own site describes SCOR 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, telling Decanter in late 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, per Decanter. De Gironde is titled director and president of the estate on its own site, and Chairman of the Executive Board in the estate's B Corp announcement. Thomas Duclos of Oenoteam, described by Decanter as a rising star of Right Bank oenology, succeeded longtime consultant Michel Rolland at Troplong Mondot; Decanter credits Duclos with helping lead the appellation's departure from the "turbo-charged, oaky, high-octane style" favored by the garagiste movement of the 1990s toward a fresher, more subtle style. The estate's winery was renovated entirely in 2021 and holds HQE (high environmental quality) certification.

• SCOR bought Troplong Mondot from the Valette-Pariente family in 2017 for a price Decanter reported as undisclosed; a rumored figure near 180 million euros (about 5.5 million euros per hectare) appeared in one trade report, explicitly flagged there as unconfirmed
• Aymeric de Gironde, previously managing director of Château Cos d'Estournel (from February 2013) and before that at AXA Millésimes and LVMH's Hennessy and Krug, was named director; he told Decanter in August 2017 he would arrive by mid-October
• Thomas Duclos of Oenoteam succeeded Michel Rolland as consulting oenologist, part of a Right Bank shift toward fresher, more precise winemaking (Decanter)
• Winery renovated entirely in 2021; HQE (high environmental quality) certified

Troplong Mondot sits at the highest point of Saint-Émilion, with the estate's own site citing an elevation of up to 110 meters and a 37-hectare vineyard spread across three soil types with 360-degree sun and wind exposure at altitudes ranging from 60 to 110 meters. The estate attributes its distinct character to a geological formation it calls the Agenais Molasses: clays that, according to the estate, eroded away everywhere else in the appellation but remain here, overlying the asteries limestone typical of Saint-Émilion. The current vineyard is planted to roughly 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc; at the time of the 2017 sale, Decanter reported the vineyard's plantings as 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc across 33 hectares. The estate ploughs 100% of its vines with 12 horses and reports zero herbicide, insecticide or anti-botrytis treatments, alongside a 15-year collaboration with soil microbiologists Lydia and Claude Bourguignon and a replanting programme in place since 1998. The estate's own site reports that microbial activity in its soils tripled between 2008 and 2021. The second wine, Mondot, is sourced from blocks of young vines on predominantly limestone soils, more than 90% Merlot, aged with zero new oak.

• 37 hectares of vines, three soil types, up to 110 meters elevation (the appellation's highest point) and a 60 to 110 meter altitude range with 360-degree exposure (estate's own site)
• Agenais Molasses clay overlying asteries limestone, a geological profile the estate says survives only on this hill within the appellation
• Current blend approximately 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc; at the 2017 sale, Decanter reported 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 from limestone-only parcels, zero new oak

The estate's winery was renovated entirely in 2021 and holds HQE (high environmental quality) certification, built, in the estate's own words, to deliver workplace ergonomics, natural light and traffic flow while housing 42 tanks 14 meters underground. The estate describes its technical approach as early harvest, cold maceration, low-temperature vinification, malolactic maceration carried out in stainless steel rather than barrel, and blending before ageing. The grand vin is aged in a mix of 50% new barrels, 30% oak cask and 20% one-year barrels, according to the estate's own site. The second wine, Mondot, is aged with 0% new oak. As part of its sustainability push, the estate has replaced metal capsules with wax seals from the 2022 vintage onward and reduced the weight of Mondot bottles by 15%.

• 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 (estate's own site)
• 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% as part of the estate's packaging changes

Troplong Mondot is B Corp certified, an assessment the estate describes as covering governance, employees, the environment, customers and social commitment, reassessed every three years. Aymeric de Gironde, Chairman of the Executive Board, said of the certification: "It is not an end in itself, but a long-term commitment to progress." Under a section the estate's own site headlines "Race to Zero," it pledges to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050, and describes itself as committed to the United Nations Net Zero Campaign; the estate also describes itself as a silver member of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) and the first vineyard in France to join that programme. The estate's own site reports its buildings, including the winery, cellars, offices, restaurant and accommodation, are heated entirely by pellets produced from vine cuttings, generating under 1 tonne of carbon emissions annually compared with 191 tonnes the estate says gas heating would produce. Other figures the estate cites: 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 (estate's own site)
• Under a section headlined "Race to Zero," pledged to halve carbon footprint by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050, and describes itself as committed to the United Nations Net Zero Campaign; also describes itself as a 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 a stated 191 tonnes for 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 earned its first Michelin star in 2016, according to Decanter; the estate's own site currently describes it as holding a Michelin star and a Green Michelin star. Chef David Charrier has led the kitchen for more than a decade, per the estate's own site, drawing on the estate's 6,800 square meter permaculture kitchen garden, with about 80% of the restaurant's supply base sourced within an hour of the property. Pastry chef Adrien Salavert, named French Dessert Champion 2026 and noted with a "Passion Dessert" mention in the Michelin Guide, works alongside Maitre D'hôtel Anne-Sophie Besson. Accommodation is offered through four suites known as 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, sited where Christine Valette once kept an artist's studio on the first floor of the main house), and Edouard (43 square meters, ground floor, named for Edouard Troplong). Visits are offered as guided tours by vintage Land Rover through the vineyard and winery, in formats ranging from a 75-minute Getaway Tour to a half-day harvest experience, priced from 50 euros per person to 1,100 euros for a small private group, according to the estate's own site.

• Les Belles Perdrix opened in 2013, earned its first Michelin star in 2016 (Decanter); estate's own site currently describes it as holding a Michelin star and a Green Michelin star
• Chef David Charrier, more than a decade at the restaurant; pastry chef Adrien Salavert, French Dessert Champion 2026 and 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 studio), and Edouard, named for Edouard Troplong
• Vineyard tours by vintage Land Rover, several formats from a 75-minute tour (50 euros per person) to a half-day harvest experience (up to 1,100 euros for a small group)

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 2026-09-09. 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