France · Cahors & Lot Valley

Clos Troteligotte

A Cahors estate on high altitude terroirs, farmed organically and biodynamically, with Malbec aged in clay jars.

The producer

Clos Troteligotte is a Cahors estate on high altitude terroirs, farmed organically and biodynamically by the Rybinski family. Its holdings include Kimmeridgian and siderolithic clay limestone. Agroforestry and biodiversity preservation shape the vineyard work. The range includes several cuvées, with one Cahors red made from 100 percent Malbec from hand selected micro plots. Indigenous yeasts and 12 months in clay jars on fine lees define its ageing. The wine has deep garnet color, freshness, red berries and minerality, with 3 to 10 years of aging potential.

Known for

High altitude Malbec in clay jars

Notable facts

The story

Living off the land

The Rybinski family takes the phrase lives off the land literally. They farm their own fruits and vegetables on site, grow their own grains and crush them with a homemade windmill, raise livestock, manage their forest for heating and cooking, and grow hemp for clothing and insulation. The same family farms Clos Troteligotte's Cahors vineyard with organic and biodynamic methods. Agroforestry and biodiversity preservation are part of the estate's vineyard work.

From the atlas

Clos Troteligotte

A Cahors estate on high altitude terroirs, farmed organically and biodynamically, with a Malbec cuvée aged in clay jars.

At A Glance

FieldDetail
RegionCahors
Vineyard16 hectares
Main grapeMalbec
Signature wineCahors Malbec red aged in clay jars
Defining featureOrganic and biodynamic farming with agroforestry and biodiversity preservation

The Producer

In 2004, Emmanuel Rybinski took over Clos Troteligotte from his father. The estate farms high altitude terroirs in Cahors with organic and biodynamic methods. The Rybinski family also practices agroforestry and preserves biodiversity, with the future introduction of animals planned.

The range includes several cuvées, including a Cahors red made from Malbec. Its cuvée naming system assigns different expressions to the K series, from classic Cahors character to greater body and the floral side of Malbec.

Place

The vineyards are perched on high altitude terroirs in Cahors. The holdings contain two named clay limestone terroirs, Kimmeridgian and siderolithic.

Cahors is the appellation carried by the red Malbec bottle, while the two soil names distinguish the estate's plot groups.

Wines

The range includes several cuvées. A Cahors red made from 100 percent Malbec comes from hand selected micro plots. It ferments with indigenous yeasts and ages in clay jars on fine lees for 12 months. Fine lees are the settled yeast cells left after fermentation, and ageing on them can add texture while clay jars avoid oak influence.

The 2020 vintage is deep and dense garnet, a color that reveals high altitude Malbec concentration, with fine freshness, red berries and minerality through a medium to long finish. Its aging potential is 3 to 10 years.

Final Word

Clos Troteligotte joins high altitude Cahors terroirs with organic and biodynamic farming, agroforestry and a Malbec cuvée fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in clay jars.

Sources

1. https://clostroteligotte.com/?lang=en 2. https://www.cahorsvalleedulot.com/en/domaines/clos-troteligotte/ 3. https://www.elixirwinegroup.com/france/clos-troteligotte 4. https://clostroteligotte.com/nos-vins/k-2/?lang=en 5. https://www.lebendigeweine.de/en/clos-troteligotte-k-2-aoc-sans-sulfite-ajoute-2020/ 6. https://clostroteligotte.com/product/k-2/?lang=en

Open Clos Troteligotte in the interactive map →