Chateau

Chateau designates in France a wine estate, generally Bordeaux or Southwest, comprising a vineyard, a winery, a cellar and sometimes a residence of seigneurial origin. The use of the word chateau on the label is strictly regulated by INAO since 1949: the estate must produce its wines on site, vinify autonomously and bear an authentic toponymic name. Bordeaux counts around 7,000 chateaux in 2026, including about a hundred classified growths. Flagship chateaux invariably figure in three star wine lists (Chateau Margaux, Chateau Petrus, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Yquem) (Source: INAO, 2026).