Château d'Esclans is a rosé wine producer in the Côtes de Provence AOC in Provence, France. It is majority owned by LVMH.[1]

The château is credited with reviving interest in rosé wine.[2] It best known for producing the Whispering Angel brand of wine, which is priced expensively for a rosé to create the perception of a premium product.[3]

History

Château d'Esclans was formerly a residence of the Counts of Provence. It was later owned by Jacques Auxile Verrion, War Commissioner of Louis XV, who became Count of Esclans under Charles X.[4]

Sacha Lichine purchased Château d'Esclans in 2005, from a Swedish pension fund. Over ten years, he increased production from 135,000 bottles per year to 5 million bottles per year.[5] Lichine targeted the North American market, transforming rosé wine as a lifestyle accessory.[6] He brought in Patrick Léon as winemaker, who had retired from Mouton Rothschild.[7]

In 2019, LVMH acquired 55% of Château d'Esclans: 50% from Lichine's business partner Hervé Vinciguerra, and 5% from Lichine, with Lichine retaining 45% of the business.[8][9] The value of the deal was not disclosed but was estimated at €140 million.[6]

Products

The main wine of the estate is "Whispering Angel". The lesser wines are "The Pale" and "The Beach". "Rock Angel" is more expensive.[7] These wines are made with grapes bought in from other estates.[10] More expensive wines are made with grapes only from the estate: "Château d'Esclans", "Les Clans" and "Garrus". "Garrus" is one of the world's most expensive rosés,[11][12] made from almost 100-year-old vines and fermented in French oak barrels.

References

  1. ↑ Millar, Rupert (29 November 2019). "LVMH buys into Whispering Angel". The Drinks Business. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Lyons, Will. "The best rosés aren't just from Provence". The Times. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  3. ↑ Hunt, Elle (17 December 2021). "From lockdown treat to Adele's fridge: Whispering Angel, the supermarket rosé that took over the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Des lettres de noblesse pour le Château d'Esclans". www.sommeliers-international.com. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  5. ↑ https://www.pointdevue.fr/lifestyle/visites-privees/univers-chez-sacha-et-mathilde-lichine
  6. 1 2 "Moët Hennessy acquiert le Château d'Esclans, en Provence". avis-vin.lefigaro.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Sacha Lichine, VRP de luxe du rosé de Provence". Le Monde.fr (in French). 5 July 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Sacha Lichine cède Whispering Angels à LVMH". www.vitisphere.com (in French). Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Château d'Esclans : nouvelle acquisition de Bernard Arnault dans le vin rosé". La Revue du vin de France (in French). Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "When Success is Not Enough: Dauphin of Wine Legend Alexis Lichine, Sacha Lichine Decants His Emotions". Une Vue de l'Esprit. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Can a rosé ever be worth £100+ a bottle?". Club Oenologique. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Schmitt, Patrick (15 June 2020). "Here's what a new £100+ French rosé tastes like". The Drinks Business. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
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