France · Bordeaux

Chateau de Sales

Château de Sales is Pomerol's largest estate, covering approximately 47 hectares — dwarfing its neighbors on the Right Bank. Owned by the de Lambert family since the 17th century, it has changed hands among relatives but never left family control. The vineyard is planted predominantly to Merlot (70%) with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, producing around 250,000 bottles annually. The terroir sits on sandy-clay soils at Pomerol's northern edge, lacking the iron-rich crasse de fer subsoil of the appellation's top estates — a geographic reality that explains the modest average auction price of $75 per bottle. At auction, bottles span $18 to $738, with the upper end driven by exceptional vintages such as 1982 and 1989. The 1982 remains the benchmark vintage for this estate, regularly fetching multiples of the average. Standard drinking vintages from the 1990s and 2000s trade at $30–60, making Sales one of Pomerol's more accessible appellations representatives. The style is notably softer and less concentrated than plateau estates, emphasizing approachability over longevity. Auction buyers typically target rare back-vintages; more recent releases from 2015–2019 trade near release prices at auction. With 170 lots in database and a single wine driving all volume — Château de Sales, Pomerol — this is a single-wine producer story. Value-seeking buyers may find genuine Pomerol character at prices well below appellation averages.