Learn everything about Chateau de Sales Pomerol with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau de Sales History, Overview
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 for a single family.
In 1464, Bertrand de Sauvanelles agreed to rent and manage the estate. That means Chateau de Sales has remained in the same family hands for close to 6 centuries! This probably sets a record for continuous ownership in Bordeaux.
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, truly regal chateau in the entire Pomerol appellation. Chateau de Sales did not become a working Bordeaux vineyard until some time in the late 1700’s.
Chateau de Sales Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
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.
The vineyard of Chateau de Sales is unusual for not just its size, but because the vines are in 1, large parcel.
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 in Pomerol, with close to half of their land being cultivated with vines. The vines are located not too far from Clos Rene and Chateau lEnclos.
To produce the wine of Chateau de Sales, the wine is vinified in traditional, concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation is conducted in vat. The wine is aged in vat for between 12-14 months before it’s aged in barrels for an additional 6 months.
The barrel aging program is complex as Chateau de Sales uses a diverse array of barrels. Only 5% new, French oak barrels are used in the barrel aging process. The rest of the barrels are on average split between 30% one year old barrels, 30% two year old barrels and the remaining wood is 3 years old.
Only 50% of the wine is aged in barrel. The remainder of the wine is aged in tank. More than 10,000 cases of Chateau de Sales are produced each year. There is a second wine, which used to be called Clos de Sales. Today, the second wine is sold under the name of Chateau Chantalouette.
When to Drink Chateau de Sales, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau de Sales can be enjoyed on the young side with an hour of decanting. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. However, I find the wine is usually better with 3-6 years of bottle age. Of course that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. In the best years, Chateau de Sales will best between 4 to 12 years of age after the vintage.
Serving and Decanting Chateau de Sales with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau de Sales is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau de Sales is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. Chateau de Sales is also good when matched with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta.
Chateau de Sales is not my favorite style of Pomerol wine. The wines are light, dominated by red fruits and on the rustic side of the style range for Pomerol.
Château de Sales Wine Tasting Notes
8 Vintages 26,890 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
| 2017 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Light in color and in fruit, the wine is unfussy, bright and easy to drink. This will be best in its youth. 959 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 | ||
| 2016 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Medium bodied, fresh, bright, but not quite crisp, the focus on the light, red fruits, with just a bit of earth for complexity. This is not very deep, but there is just enough here to please folks yearning for older, classic styles of Pomerol. This is probably the best vintage from de Sales, I recall tasting. 1,961 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 | ||
| 2015 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Light, bright, crisp red fruits abound with an herbal and earthy, lean, simple, red plum finish. Springtime in Pomerol. 83 - 85 Pts 1,790 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2016 | ||
| 2012 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Light, bright, crisp red berries with a spicy, earthy accent. This will be best tasted on the young side. 2,789 Views Tasted May 4, 2016 | ||
| 2010 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Light, bright, crisp red fruits abound with an herbal and earthy, lean, simple, red plum finish. Springtime in Pomerol. 4,259 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Rustic, traditional, lean style of Pomerol with bright red fruits, earth and herbs that ends with a crisp, red plum finish. 3,625 Views Tasted May 7, 2014 | ||
| 2009 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
From the largest vineyard in Pomerol, the wine is lean with some green character in the spicy, red berry finish. This needs to be drunk on the young side. 3,514 Views Tasted May 1, 2012 | ||
| 2008 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Lean, tart, dry and thin, with some red berries poking through in the finish. 5,262 Views Tasted Aug 6, 2013 | ||
| 2005 | Château de Sales (Pomerol) | |
Simple, medium bodied, fresh red berries, spice and earth aromas that finishes with red plum notes. This is not a wine for aging. 2,731 Views Tasted Feb 3, 2014 | ||
