Chateau La Roncheraie Cotes de Castillon Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau La Roncheraie Cotes de Castillon wine producer profile with wine tasting notes, wine and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, and information on winemaking and terroir. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau La Roncheraie History, Overview

Chateau La Roncheraie was purchased by its new owner, Jean-Claude Sarrouy, a Parisian businessman just in time to make the 2010 vintage. Two wines are made from this small, but well-situated vineyard in the Cotes de Bordeaux appellation.

Chateau La Roncheraie Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The small, 1.4-hectare vineyard of Chateau La Roncheraie is planted to 100% Merlot. This is a parcel selection that is produced from the estate’s best terroir. In total, they have 3.84 hectares of vines. But their top wine comes from a 1.4 hectare, hilltop vineyard.

The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 5,000 vines per hectare. The Right Bank terroir is clay over limestone soil, just like you could find in many of the better St. Emilion vineyards.

A lot of attention is taken to farm the vineyards of La Roncheraie. Organic, sustainable farming practices are in use. Yields are purposely maintained at low levels to get the most from the vines. In fact, the yields are often as low as only 18 hectoliters per hectare!

To produce the wine of Chateau La Roncheraie, vinification takes place in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks after almost 3 weeks of maceration. Microbullage is performed in the tank under the cap. Malolactic fermentation takes place in 100% new, French oak barrels.

During the aging period, the wine spends an average of months on its post malolactic lees. The wine of Chateau La Roncheraie is aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for 17 months. Not much wine is made as the production hovers at close to 300 cases of wine per vintage.

The property produces a second wine, Chateau La Roncheraie La Paradoxe. The vineyard used to produce La Paradoxe is planted to 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. On average, the vines are 25 years of age.

The same vineyard management techniques used to produce Chateau La Roncheraie are also utilized in the making of La Paradoxe. However, the juice is macerated for a shorter period of time and malolactic fermentation, as well as aging, takes place in 80% new, French oak barrels for an average of 12 months.

The best vintages of Chateau Roncheraie are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

When to Drink Chateau La Roncheraie, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau La Roncheraie is much better with at least 1-3 years of aging in good vintages. Young vintages can be decanted for 1 hour, allowing the wine to soften and open its perfume.

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau La Roncheraie offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 2-8 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau La Roncheraie with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau La Roncheraie is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau La Roncheraie is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau La Roncheraie is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

Previous vintages of Chateau La Roncheraie included two wines which are no longer in production, La Roncheraie Cuvee Prestige and La Roncheraie Cuvee Seriene.