Château de Sales
Château de Sales is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable properties in the Pomerol appellation, and arguably in all Bordeaux. A grand château dating to the 17th century, built with the Baroque flourishes typical of the Louis XIII era, and declared a monument historique in 1996, this estate has been in the hands of one family for five centuries, surely a record unmatched by any other in the region. Add to that the fact this is by far the largest estate in the Pomerol appellation and you have to wonder why this potential appellation figurehead is not better known.
There are perhaps several different reasons why Château de Sales has tended to fly under the radar. Some are simply not amenable to change, such as the estate’s terroir, it being located not on the appellation’s prestigious clay and gravel plateau, but on sandier soils in the far north-western corner of the appellation. Nevertheless, there are many good wines made on the sands west of the Pomerol slope, Clos René, Château Montviel and Clos du Beau-Père to name just three, and I suspect the latest generation of the family to take charge – the 15th generation, in fact – recognise that there is room for improvement. And I believe they have now grasped this nettle.
Before we come to the modern-day running of the property though, as is customary I present some history, which begins back in the 16th century when the land was acquired by the Sauvanelle family, who leased it from one of the many religious orders that had made the town of St Emilion their home.
Please log in to continue reading: