1986 Château de Sales

Chateau de Sales is a massive vineyard for Pomerol. In fact, Chateau de Sales is the largest vineyard in the Pomerol appellation. When you think about it, with its enormous production, it could be more at home in the Medoc , than in the Right Bank . In total, they own 90 hectares of land, with close to half of the land planted to vines. The 47.8 hectare vineyard of Chateau de Sales is planted to 72% Merlot , 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc . The terroir is gravel, sand and a bit of clay in the soils. On average, the vines are 35 years of age. However there are some parcels with old vines that are more than 50 years of age.

Chateau de Sales has been in the same family hands since 1464. This probably sets a record in Bordeaux for continuous ownership of a chateau and vineyard. In 1464, Bertrand de Sauvanelles agreed to rent and manage the estate. It has remained in the same family hands for close to 6 centuries! The Chateau was created in the early 1600’s, which was also quite rare for Pomerol at the time as the region has never been the home to the type of grand chateaux found in the Left Bank . In fact, the chateau for de Sales is one of the few, true, regal chateau in the Pomerol appellation. Chateau de Sales did not become a working Bordeaux vineyard until some in the late 1700’s.