Chateau Les Trois Croix, Fronsac Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Les Trois Croix Fronsac with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Les Trois Croix History, Overview

Chateau Les Trois Croix dates back to at least 1712 when the large stone tower was carved and inscribed Trois Croix, which is translated to three crosses. However, we start paying attention to the property after Patrick Leon purchases the vineyard in 1995.

Prior to taking over Les Trois Croix in 1995, Patrick Leon was the winemaker for Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac. Sadly, Patrick Leon passed away in 2018. Today, the property is managed by his son, Bertrand Leon. In 2020, Les Trois Croix finished their renovation and modernization of their barrel cellar and bottling room.

Chateau Les Trois Croix Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 20 hectare Right Bank vineyard of Chateau Les Trois Croix is planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The terroir is limestone and clay soils. The vineyard is well placed at the peak of the Fronsac appellation with an elevation of 87 meters at its high point. They have old vines here. In fact, they still maintain a parcel of vines that were planted in the 1940s.

The team of Michel Rolland is their consultant. On average, the production is close to 8,000 cases of wine per vintage. There is a second wine, La Lamoliere.

The Best Vintages of Chateau Les Trois Croix are: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015 and 2010.

When to Drink Chateau Les Trois Croix, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Les Trois Croix is better with at least 2-3 years of aging in good vintages. Young vintages can be decanted for up to 1 hour, helping the wine soften to help develop the aromatic character.

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Les Trois Croix offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 3-10 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Les Trois Croix with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

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

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

Château Les Trois Croix Wine Tasting Notes

12 Vintages 34,528 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating

2022
94
Flowers, cherries, licorice, and espresso blend to create a supple, fresh, creamy, rich wine with minerality, lush textures and ripe, polished fruits in the lengthy finish. Drink from 2025-2038. 93-95 Pts.

Flowers, cherries, licorice, and espresso blend to create a supple, fresh, creamy, rich wine with minerality, lush textures and ripe, polished fruits in the lengthy finish. Drink from 2025-2038. 93-95 Pts.

2,135 Views   Tasted
2021
91
Flowers, licorice, black cherries and espresso pop with no effort in the nose. The palate is even better with layers of fresh, sweet, crisp red fruits, touch of salt, plums and a hint of chocolate on the backend. Drink from 2024-2036.

Flowers, licorice, black cherries and espresso pop with no effort in the nose. The palate is even better with layers of fresh, sweet, crisp red fruits, touch of salt, plums and a hint of chocolate on the backend. Drink from 2024-2036.

168 Views   Tasted
Black cherries and roses with a touch of chocolate-dusted, black raspberries create the nose. Medium-bodied, with a bright, salty, fresh, crisp, savory edge to the red pit fruit and licorice notes tasted in the finish. Drink from 2024-2034. 89-91

Black cherries and roses with a touch of chocolate-dusted, black raspberries create the nose. Medium-bodied, with a bright, salty, fresh, crisp, savory edge to the red pit fruit and licorice notes tasted in the finish. Drink from 2024-2034. 89-91

1,404 Views   Tasted
2020
93
Perhaps it is the strong mineral essence that gives this wine its unique character. You find it in the nose, which also offers flowers, red pit fruits, and smoke. The wine is round, and polished, and will easily seduce you with its layers of fresh red fruits, salty tannins, and mildly savory edge in the finish. You can drink this young, or age it for more complexity. Drink from 2023-2037.

Perhaps it is the strong mineral essence that gives this wine its unique character. You find it in the nose, which also offers flowers, red pit fruits, and smoke. The wine is round, and polished, and will easily seduce you with its layers of fresh red fruits, salty tannins, and mildly savory edge in the finish. You can drink this young, or age it for more complexity. Drink from 2023-2037.

1,078 Views   Tasted
Ripe black and red pit fruits are packaged with crushed rocks, stones, salty tannins, spice and savory herbs. Round and seductive, with a fresh, savory, chewy finish. Give this 2-4 years before pulling a cork and enjoy it for 12-15 years after that. 91-93 Pts

Ripe black and red pit fruits are packaged with crushed rocks, stones, salty tannins, spice and savory herbs. Round and seductive, with a fresh, savory, chewy finish. Give this 2-4 years before pulling a cork and enjoy it for 12-15 years after that. 91-93 Pts

1,991 Views   Tasted
2019
93
Silky-textured, sweet and vibrant, there is a gorgeous sense of purity here to the seductive, dark red pit fruits with their chocolate edge. The finish feels just great due to the soft, polished tannins and all of those sweet, ripe, silky fruits and the touch of salt from the minerality in the endnote. This will drink well young, and it will even better with a few years of age. Drink from 2023-2035.

Silky-textured, sweet and vibrant, there is a gorgeous sense of purity here to the seductive, dark red pit fruits with their chocolate edge. The finish feels just great due to the soft, polished tannins and all of those sweet, ripe, silky fruits and the touch of salt from the minerality in the endnote. This will drink well young, and it will even better with a few years of age. Drink from 2023-2035.

1,890 Views   Tasted
Seductive, silky, medium-bodied, finesse driven, fresh and fruity, the red berries are clean, pure and feel just great. The tannins are soft, refined and should produce a wine that will drink well young, and even better with a few years of age. 91-93 Pts

Seductive, silky, medium-bodied, finesse driven, fresh and fruity, the red berries are clean, pure and feel just great. The tannins are soft, refined and should produce a wine that will drink well young, and even better with a few years of age. 91-93 Pts

2,801 Views   Tasted
2018
92
The sense of minerality is apparent with the initial sniff before finding flowers, red with black plums and cherries in the nose. Silky, smooth, fresh, elegant and with layers of sweet, soft, ripe fruits, chalk, licorice, pepper and a light touch of oak, the wine exudes energy, crushed rocks and red pit fruit from start to finish.

The sense of minerality is apparent with the initial sniff before finding flowers, red with black plums and cherries in the nose. Silky, smooth, fresh, elegant and with layers of sweet, soft, ripe fruits, chalk, licorice, pepper and a light touch of oak, the wine exudes energy, crushed rocks and red pit fruit from start to finish.

1,917 Views   Tasted
Lush, round, forward, medium/full bodied, with a dark, juicy plum, licorice, black cherry and earthy character. Fresh, plush and polished, this will be better with a few years of age. 90-92 Pts

Lush, round, forward, medium/full bodied, with a dark, juicy plum, licorice, black cherry and earthy character. Fresh, plush and polished, this will be better with a few years of age. 90-92 Pts

4,580 Views   Tasted
2017
90
Medium/full bodied, forward and loaded with ripe, soft, round, fresh and slightly stony red fruits, this is already lovely to taste.

Medium/full bodied, forward and loaded with ripe, soft, round, fresh and slightly stony red fruits, this is already lovely to taste.

1,974 Views   Tasted
2016
91
Deep in color, the wine offers licorice, crushed stone and dark cherries from start to finish. On the palate you also find polished, silky dark, red fruits with more of that crushed rock sensations. This is the best and sadly the penultimate vintage for the owner Patrick Leon, who recently passed away.

Deep in color, the wine offers licorice, crushed stone and dark cherries from start to finish. On the palate you also find polished, silky dark, red fruits with more of that crushed rock sensations. This is the best and sadly the penultimate vintage for the owner Patrick Leon, who recently passed away.

2,361 Views   Tasted
2015
91
Owned by Patrick Leon, the wine is medium/full bodied, showing a stony edge to the floral and red berry fruit. Give it a few years to soften, flesh out and gain additional complexities.

Owned by Patrick Leon, the wine is medium/full bodied, showing a stony edge to the floral and red berry fruit. Give it a few years to soften, flesh out and gain additional complexities.

2,478 Views   Tasted
2014
90
Fresh, earthy, soft, round, open, herb and spice-tinged red fruits show easily in this ready-to-drink, medium-bodied, plummy charmer.

Fresh, earthy, soft, round, open, herb and spice-tinged red fruits show easily in this ready-to-drink, medium-bodied, plummy charmer.

2,204 Views   Tasted
2012
88
Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, stony red berries come alive with a touch of thyme, underbrush, cherry and dark cocoa in the round, soft, polished, crisp finish. This is drinking about as good as it is going to get.

Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, stony red berries come alive with a touch of thyme, underbrush, cherry and dark cocoa in the round, soft, polished, crisp finish. This is drinking about as good as it is going to get.

2,069 Views   Tasted
2010
90
At full-maturity, the wine is earthy, smoky, round, lush, soft and still fresh, with its dark red pit fruits, licorice, cocoa and stony, mid-palate finish. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years before it starts its gentle decline.

At full-maturity, the wine is earthy, smoky, round, lush, soft and still fresh, with its dark red pit fruits, licorice, cocoa and stony, mid-palate finish. I'd opt for drinking this over the next few years before it starts its gentle decline.

2,721 Views   Tasted
2009
89
Fully mature, or quite close to it, the wine is soft, smooth, easy to drink to drink and like. With its medium body and focus on fresh, ripe black cherries, earth and thyme, this is drinking right now in its sweet spot.

Fully mature, or quite close to it, the wine is soft, smooth, easy to drink to drink and like. With its medium body and focus on fresh, ripe black cherries, earth and thyme, this is drinking right now in its sweet spot.

2,757 Views   Tasted