Château de Sales

Château de Sales is one of Pomerol's most architecturally beautiful estates. It has been awarded the title of "Best of Wine Tourism" in the Architecture, Parks and Gardens category. Its tasting room, cellar, bamboo grove and water mirror are all features that reveal the refinement and finesse of the estate and its wines. Located north-west of Pomerol, Château de Sales is the oldest family estate in the Gironde and the largest in its appellation. The story begins in 1464, when Bertrand de Sauvanelle rented an estate in Saint-Emilion from the preaching monks, today known as Dominicans. He then bought the vineyard, before passing it on to his descendants François and Jean, nicknamed "Sieur de Sales". They built one of the first Carthusian monasteries of the era, still used today as a château. Several centuries later, it was the women who managed the estate during the French Revolution, until they were imprisoned for fifteen months. Released after Robespierre's defeat, they returned to find the Château completely pillaged. They kept the estate going by buying back the part of the vineyard that had been sold to the church as national property, thus ensuring its prosperity. The vineyard was thus handed down from generation to generation for almost 550 years.