Château d’Esclans proves its true value

Winegrower Provence

Château d’Esclans proves its true valueAnother eminent figure, Sacha Lichine, is currently restoring the former glory of an estate that has remained in a state of slumber for many years.

Wine is a family affair for the Lichines

Sacha, son of Alexis Lichine, formerly the owner of Châteaux Lascombes, Ferrières and Prieuré Lichine, all three in the Margaux appellation, was born in Margaux in 1960. At the age of 18, he went to study in the United States, set up his own luxury wine tourism business and organised visits for rich Americans to winegrowing areas in France. At the age of 20, he began to work as a sommelier at ‘Antonny’s Pier 4’ in Boston and created a wine export firm in Saint Lucia, named the ‘4 Caribbean Château Ltd’.

In the same year, he became manager of Château Prieuré-Lichine in Margaux.

In 2000, he launched ‘Sacha Lichine International Ltd’. At the age of 40, he was considered a forerunner of the new concept about wines ‘without frontiers’, an idea based on French grape varieties coming from the southern hemisphere.

To promote his wines, he put his passion for globetrotting to good use, by travelling all over the world.

A new challenge

After a career such as this, one can easily understand that in buying Château D’Esclans in 2006, Sacha Lichine sought to make a wine of reference.
He has achieved his aim. The estate, the terroir and the mansion itself all provide the ingredients for success.
The property is magnificent: a total of 267 hectares, in the heart of a valley located near the legendary Pennafort Gorges.
The terroir: healthy old vines, some of which are more than 80 years of age. Grenache is planted in majority (60%), along with Mourvèdre (20%), completed by Cinsault and Syrah.
44 hectares of vines are grown on clay-limestone soils that lie in a marvellous position that captures all the warmth of the sun.
Château d’Esclans is at last asserting its long history. Former residence of the Earls of Provence, it became the property of Jacques Auxile Verrion, Minister for War under Louis XV, who became the Earl of d’Esclans during the reign of Charles X.

The most expensive rosé wine in the world

Cuvée Garrus 2006:
an event in the wine world

The finest vines of the estate are selected for making this wine. They are grown upon hillsides facing South-South East, upon clay-limestone soil. Cuvéé Garrus contains a clever blend of Grenache and Rolle. Meticulous care is given to gathering the grapes: harvesting, done only in the mornings to take advantage of cooler temperatures, starts when ripeness it at its peak. Bunches are picked by hand and gently placed in small plastic crates.
There is a double sorting table, and bunches are checked grape by grape; stemming and crushing are done gently. All these operations are supervised by the watchful eye of Patrick Léon, the well-known Bordeaux oenologist.
Maturation is carried out for 5 months in oak barrels and temperatures are naturally controlled during this period.

The result justifies all these efforts:

The wine is magnificent. It has extraordinary aromas and astounding persistency on the palate.

This accomplished cuvee is reserved for a few privileged customers, because just 1 600 bottles of this divine nectar are sold at a price of 72.60 Euros per bottle.

Other wines:

The range of wines made at Château d’Esclans is completed by the following A.O.C. Rosé Côtes de Provence wines:

- Les Clans 2006
- La Cuvée Château d’Esclans 2006
- Whispering Angel 2006.

Red wines are currently being made.


Château d’Esclans
4005 Route de Calles • 83920 La Motte
Tél : 04 94 60 40 40 • Fax : 04 94 70 23 99
www.chateaudesclans.com