Château de Sales, Historical wine estate in Lalande-de-Pomerol and Libourne, France

Château de Sales is a wine estate spanning Libourne and Lalande-de-Pomerol, built around a closed inner courtyard in the manner of a fortress, with typically mannerist decoration. Its chartreuse dates from the mid-17th century, and the interior decoration was redone after 1734. The 1770-1772 gardens have given way to lawns, and a water feature was made between 1770 and 1780.

The estate was bought in 1578 by the Sauvanelle family and has stayed with their descendants, passing through the Sauvanelle, Desaigues, de Laage and Lambert families. Jean de Sauvanelle, mayor of Libourne, built the château in the first half of the 17th century. The chartreuse followed in the mid-17th century, and the property was listed as a monument historique in 1996.

The name comes from the Sauvanelle family, who bought the estate in 1578; four families have held it since: Sauvanelle, Desaigues, de Laage and Lambert. The chartreuse, a small country house built in the mid-17th century, gives the estate its name in local usage. Since 2018 Marine Treppoz has been president and Vincent Montigaud director.

Plan ahead, as visits and tastings are by appointment and can shift with harvest schedules. The quieter months between growing and harvest seasons offer the best opportunity to explore the grounds without distractions.

The estate holds one of the largest contiguous vineyards in the entire Pomerol region, setting it apart from neighboring producers. This scale allows complete control over every step of winemaking from soil to bottle.