Château de Sales - Pomerol 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The grand driveway leading to this 16th-century château provides a perfect view of the most beautiful building in Pomerol, which has belonged to the Lambert family for five centuries. The family owns the largest area of land in the appellation.

Decanter

About wine:

Juicy intensity with bright, delicate, and lively red fruit in the glass—friendly but with a salty licorice edge that gives it a bit of gravitas. Fine and direct, but polished and clean on the finish. A touch of lingering warmth on the finish, but this wine is dynamic and well-structured, with bite and power. 2025-2040

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Vincent Montigaud has been the director of operations since 2017, succeeding Bruno de Lambert, who has retired. With 47.5 hectares, making it the largest estate in the appellation, Ch. de Sales has belonged to the de Lambert family for 550 years. The estate is now run by a member of the family, Marine Treppoz. Two wines are produced here: Ch. de Sales and Ch. Chantalouette, the second wine.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

The 2020 bottled wine is faithful to this refined and distinguished style, as promised by the primeur samples. A restrained, elegant, tight wine with a full but particularly slender body and crisp, fine tannins. Its distinguished character will only flourish with age.

About the estate:

On the outskirts of the town of Libourne, extended by the majestic vista of its grounds, Château de Sales has been in the hands of the same family for five centuries. Defying the vagaries of history and inheritance tax, which has become confiscatory for many wine-growing families, the largest wine estate in the appellation has never felt the need to join in the bidding war, the race for roundness and opulence. With its specific terroir of fine gravel, Château de Sales remains faithful to a classic, delicate style, with little influence from the barrel, which is undeniably back in vogue and deserves the attention of wine lovers. While the stylistic direction seems firmly maintained, 2017 is a year of change for this historic estate: a new president of the operating company bringing together numerous cousins, Marine Treppoz, and a new director, Vincent Montigaud from Libourne.

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

About wine:

The predominance of Merlot in the blend gives this wine both its richness and its smooth texture. The black fruit flavors and generous acidity are sure to blossom. Drink from 2026 onwards.

James Suckling

About wine:

A full-bodied, juicy red wine with aromas of blackberry, black olive, dark chocolate, and hazelnut. Creamy, round, and deliciously textured. This is not an imposing, powerful wine, but it is very appealing now and for the future. Appealing in many ways. Best after 2026.

Yves Beck

About wine:

The 2020 Château de Sales is the most accomplished since I started tasting this wine. It is subtle and complex. Everything is perfectly balanced, with a beautiful sense of precision. The bouquet reveals hints of red berries, spices, and licorice wood. On the palate, the wine creates a superb balance between finesse and richness. It is slender yet dense and, above all, perfectly balanced. A beautiful symbiosis between fullness and character. A wine that highlights the ambitious outlook that Sales has set for itself. 2027-2045

Tastingbook - Markus Del Monego

About wine:

Dark purple color with violet highlights and a black core. A wine of great purity, with a refined nose featuring elegant fruit, blackberries, cherries, and ripe plums, notes of chocolate and oriental spices, vanilla, and gingerbread, with floral notes in the background, such as wisteria and violet. The palate is well-balanced and structured with ripe, silky tannins, wonderful freshness and precision, fine minerality, ripe fruit and notes of licorice on the finish. Excellent and convincingly long.