The winery
Château d'Esclans
A producer of high-end rosé based in La Motte-en-Provence (Côtes de Provence), renowned for labels such as Whispering Angel, Les Clans and the exclusive Garrus, the estate has helped revive Provençal rosé internationally.
- Provence (Côtes de Provence) · Francia
- 12 products
The story
The estate has ancient origins and is known as a benchmark wine in the Côtes de Provence. Sacha Lichine acquired and revitalized the estate in 2005–2006, bringing it to a global audience; in 2019 a majority stake was acquired by Moët Hennessy/LVMH. Under Lichine's leadership the estate introduced modern production practices and a range of cuvées with both commercial appeal and premium profiles.
Production philosophy
The approach is to elevate rosé to a gastronomic wine: targeted early-morning harvests, hand selection and optical sorting of the clusters, and the combined use of vinification in stainless steel and in casks to create wines that are fresh yet structured. The winery emphasizes technological control and careful grape selection to maintain consistency of style across vintages.
Terroir and vineyards
The estate is located in the valle d'Esclans, in the commune of La Motte-en-Provence, within the protected AOC Côtes de Provence area. The terrain is typically Mediterranean, with mixed soils planted with old vines.
Characteristics
- Grape varieties
- Grenache
- Rolle (Vermentino)
- Cinsault
- Tibouren
- Mourvèdre
- Syrah
- Clairette
- Ugni Blanc
- Hectares
- 267.0
What makes it distinctive
- Notable labels: Whispering Angel, The Pale, The Beach, Rock Angel, Château d'Esclans, Les Clans, Garrus.
- Harvest carried out at dawn, with triple selection.
- Use of both stainless-steel fermentation and demi-muid barrels for high-end cuvées.
- Estate relaunched by Sacha Lichine, with Moët Hennessy/LVMH joining as a partner in 2019.
- Vineyards with old vines.
