Vineyards

A Worldwide Leader in Luxury Rosé: Château d’Esclans

The Provence Rosé producer joined Moët Hennessy’s luxurious portfolio in 2019.

Jan. 2021Written by Kyle TrompeterPhotos provided by Château d’Esclans


A look at the Château d’Esclans property
A bird’s-eye view of Château d’Esclans
The Château d’Esclans Barrel Room
The nitrogen process results in a higher-quality wine
Tasting the juice directly from the pressing machine
Tasting the wine directly from the barrels
Sacha Lichine is the co-owner and founder of Château d’Esclans
The blending process of Château d’Esclans
The Château d’Esclans winemaking team
The Château d’Esclans range

The first thing you see when visiting the property is this beautiful view of the front of Château d’Esclans, located in the heart of Provence.

Here is a bird’s-eye view of the operation, also overlooking La Vallée d’Esclans — the Esclans Valley — with the Mediterranean coast off in the distance.

The barrel room situated in the Château’s ancient cellars dates back to the 12th century and remains the oldest-remaining structure in the region.

Nitrogen sacs are carefully used in the winemaking process to reduce the risk of oxidation, a method that produces rosés that are pure, intense, and with vibrant fruit characteristics.

The cellar master, Jean-Claude Neu, tastes the juice directly from their state-of-the-art pressing machine. Neu was Sasha Lichine’s first hire when he launched the company in 2006, and he’s held this position ever since.

Neu also tastes the wine directly from the 600-liter oak barrels which are called demi-muids. As you can imagine, producing immaculate rosés is a very immersive and thoughtful process.

The vision of Sacha Lichine, with his acquisition of the Château d’Esclans in 2006, was to create the greatest rosés in the world and ignite a “Rosé Renaissance.” Given the recent worldwide explosion in rosé popularity, it’s safe to say Lichine’s vision has come to life.

Similar to a typical Champagne house, the blending process enables the winemaking team to create different expressions of the rosés from Château d’Esclans.

Today, the Château d’Esclans winemaking team is led by Technical Director Bertrand Léon (far left) who oversees all aspects of production.

This is a range that is truly the definition of luxury wines. Château d’Esclans represents the best Provence has to offer and is yet another wonderful addition to the iconic Moët Hennessy lineup.

One way to get the attention of wine enthusiasts around the world is to boast that your rosé is the “world’s greatest and most expensive.” That’s the tactic employed by Château d’Esclans, and by all accounts, it has been a successful one, as the winery sports an arguably unmatched reputation in the world of rosé.

The Château d’Esclans journey began in 2006 when Sacha Lichine — a Bordeaux native with an expansive and hugely successful career in wine — acquired the Provence Château and set forth on a mission to blow the doors off the rosé category by producing high-end, luxurious wines, thus elevating rosé’s popularity worldwide.

Lichine’s mission has been an unparalleled success. Not only has the entire category enjoyed explosive growth in recent years, but Lichine and his team have created a world-class range of rosés, featuring Whispering Angel, Rock Angel, Château d’Esclans, Les Clans, Garrus, and The Palm by Whispering Angel.

The Château d’Esclans property is a gorgeous one that has roots dating back to the 12th century. It sits along the Mediterranean coast and is truly one of the crown jewels of Provence winemaking.

Enjoy this virtual tour of the picturesque property, and the people who make some of the world’s finest rosé.

Shop Château d’Esclans →

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