About the Brand
Points of Distinction
- Tavel was the first appellation created in France (1936).
- Widely appreciated as the finest wine of its appellation
- Château d’Aqueria has been making wines in Tavel since the end of the 16th century.
- The largest estate of Tavel, and one of few with contiguous holdings
- Practices environmentally friendly farming
Château d’Aqueria has been making wines in Tavel since the end of the 16th century, when monks from the Abbey of Villeneuve-les-Avignon transferred a large tract of land to the Count of Aqueria. Aqueria planted vines on lands that have continued to flourish over the past 400 years.
Today, Château d’Aqueria is owned by the Guigal family and produces the quintessential Tavel, widely regarded as the finest wine of its appellation.
400 Years of Vine Growing
The district in which Count Louis Joseph d’Aqueria planted was known as the puy sablonneux, or sandy hill, and covered the east-central quarter of what was then and is now Tavel.
The current château was built in the 18th century, with gardens said to be designed by a student of André Le Nôtre, gardener to King Louis XIV and architect of the gardens of Versailles
A Single Domaine
The Château d’Aqueria is the largest estate of Tavel, with 244 acres of which 161 are planted in vines. It is one of more than 40 estates in the appellation, but unlike most other properties in the area, Château d’Aqueria is a true domaine: Its holdings are contiguous rather than scattered throughout the appellation. The “sandy hill” is characterized by hillocks of sand over a chalky clay subsoil, very well drained and arid.
