A wine to sit back and enjoy

A luxurious and unique rosé for special moments! In the glass it shimmers with a light coppery sheen, the scent bewitching and sensual; Ripe quinces, rose blossoms and honey evoke memories of Sunday excursions to the castle grounds on hot summer days. It is soft and silky, full and creamy, the acidity is mild and not aggressive. Lots of fruit on the tongue, reminiscent of quince jelly. It lasts a long time with beautiful fruit and requires more.

Château d’Esclans is located in the heart of the Var region, where most AOC Rosés de Provence is produced. The lands were occupied 2,500 years ago and provided a surveillance point for any intruders who might land in the Gulf of Fréjus. The original castle-whose only cellars remain today-was built before the 12th century. In 1201 Gérard de Villeneuve, heir to a wealthy Marseille family, became the owner of the castle and most of the land in the Vallée d’Esclans; these were later sold in lots. Two brothers, Sauveur Louis Ranque and François Alexandre Ranque, later became owners of the chateau, then known as Terre d’Esclans.

In 1875, the Ranque brothers sold the property to Joseph Toussaint Caussemille, a match manufacturer near Marseille. In 1955, the Perraud family became owners of the chateau until 1994. It was then purchased by a Swedish pension fund that produced a small amount of wine and sold the remaining grapes to surrounding vintners. Sacha Lichine acquired Château d’Esclans in 2006. Today the property covers 427 hectares, 140 of which are vineyards.

The main grape variety grown on the property is Grenache, followed by Vermentino. Other grape varieties include Cinsault, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Tibouren. The chateau is known for its old Grenache vines that produce grapes with a higher concentration of aromas than younger vines. The higher the plots, the older the vines. In the highest soils the vines reach 90 years of age.