Château Croix du Trale

The estate

Croix du Trale is a family’s own making, at Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne in the Haut-Médoc. Michel, from a family of winegrowers, has worked vines since his youth, and his son Stéphane bought his first parcels at 18; together they set up an independent cellar and created Château Croix du Trale, on 6 hectares to start. In 2010 Sandra joined her husband in the venture. The estate joined the Vignerons Indépendants de France in 2008 and has been a Cru Bourgeois since 2013, in the classifications of 2020 and 2025 as well. Its Saint-Estèphe is called Passion because 3 generations work there.

The estate now has 25 hectares in the Haut-Médoc and Saint-Estèphe appellations, 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, at 8,500 vines a hectare, on clay and limestone, clayey gravel and river clay. It has been certified AREA since 2010 and has worked toward Haute Valeur Environnementale (High Environmental Value, the French state’s environmental certification for farms) at level 3 since 2018. The crop is picked by machine and fermented in stainless steel vats, and Château Croix du Trale spends 12 months in French oak, 30% new. Passion du Trale, the Saint-Estèphe, of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, spends 12 months in new oak; Clin d’oeil à ma mère sees only stainless steel; and a rosé and a white are made from the black grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

At a glance

Appellation

Haut-Médoc; also Saint-Estèphe

Commune

Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne

Classification

Cru Bourgeois, 2020 and 2025; a Cru Bourgeois since 2013

Owners

The family: Michel, his son Stéphane, and Sandra

Vineyard

25 hectares in Haut-Médoc and Saint-Estèphe; 8,500 vines a hectare

Ground

Clay and limestone, clayey gravel, river clay

Grapes

Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 50%

Farming

AREA since 2010; working toward Haute Valeur Environnementale, level 3, since 2018

Cellar

Picked by machine; stainless steel vats; 12 months in French oak, 30% new

Wines

Château Croix du Trale; Passion du Trale, Saint-Estèphe; Clin d’oeil à ma mère; Le Trale Rosé; Le Trale Blanc

Sources: Château Croix du Trale · Château Croix du Trale, the estate · Château Croix du Trale, the wines · Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, Château Croix du Trale · Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, the classification of 2025 · Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, the classification of 2020