Château d’Esclans: The château that elevated rosé to the Olympus of wine

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From centuries-old vineyards high in Provence, Château d’Esclans has reinvented rosé wine with elegance, character and vision, creating a category of its own: luxury rosé.

Just an hour from the glamorous Côte d’Azur, between Saint-Tropez and Cannes, hides a place where rosé wine has reached new heights of sophistication: Château d’Esclans. This winery, located in the heart of the Var, is not only a pioneer in the creation of luxury rosés, but has completely redefined the perception of rosé in the world.

A HISTORY WITH MILLENNIAL ROOTS AND A VISION OF THE FUTURE

The Château d’Esclans vineyard sits on land that has been cultivated for more than 2,500 years. On top of a hill, the ruins of an ancient Roman watchtower that guarded the Gulf of Fréjus still remain. But it was in 2006 that the real change began: Sacha Lichine, son of the legendary Alexis Lichine, acquired the château and decided to revolutionize rosé, giving it the category of the great wines of the world.

A PASSIONATE AND EXPERT TEAM

The success of Château d’Esclans would not be possible without the figure of winemaker Bertrand Léon, heir to the savoir-faire of his father Patrick Léon, one of the great names in French wine. Bertrand has perfected the balance between tradition and modernity, working with surgical precision to maintain excellence in each vintage.

At his side, cellar master Jean-Claude Neu, who has been at the helm of the process since 2006, ensures that each bottle is the result of craftsmanship, from the optical selection of the grapes to the aging in oak barrels.

HARVESTING BY HAND, TECHNOLOGICAL PRECISION, SENSORY EXCELLENCE

The grapes, mostly Grenache and Rolle (Vermentino), are hand-picked at dawn to preserve their freshness. Subsequently, they go through a rigorous system of manual and optical selection, followed by vinification at a controlled temperature and without maceration, which extracts only the purest juice.

In the winery, the process is meticulous: fermentations in stainless steel and in 600L oak demi-muids, Burgundy-style “bâtonnage” and barrel aging for the high-end wines. All with a single objective: to create rosés that are fine, complex and absolutely memorable.

A LUXURY ALLIANCE WITH LVMH

International recognition was not long in coming. In 2019, the luxury giant LVMH acquired 55% of Château d’Esclans, betting on this project as a global benchmark for high-end rosé wine. This strategic alliance has boosted its expansion into key markets in Asia, America and Europe, positioning Château d’Esclans as a new emblem of French lifestyle.

WINE AND GASTRONOMIC DESTINATION

Château d’Esclans is not just a winery, it is an experience. Its natural environment, its thousand-year-old history and its architecture make each visit a journey through time and the senses. An ideal destination for lovers of wine, culture, design and gastronomy.