Château Margüi

Château Margüi lies in the heart of Provence Verte, in the Haut-Var, on the route de Barjols outside Châteauvert. Gallo-Romans were already farming these hillsides beside the Argens River some 2,600 years ago, and ruins and amphorae found on the property in 2002 bear witness to that past. Three natural springs feed the land, a story symbolised by the statue of Ondine in front of the bastide.

In the 17th century the estate belonged to a family from Aix-en-Provence, who built the main house in 1784 in the style of the bastides aixoises. Later came the Magnanerie, the Bergerie and the Observatoire. Marie-Christine and Philippe Guillanton bought the property in 1999, replanted the vineyards from 2000 and renovated the house. In 2017 it joined Skywalker Vineyards, alongside Skywalker Vineyards in Marin County, California, and Viandante del Cielo on Lake Trasimeno in Italy.

Terroir and vineyard

Today the estate counts about 54 acres of vineyards, 12 acres of olive groves and 160 acres of forest. The vines grow on clay-limestone hillsides at roughly 650 to 1,000 feet, where the surrounding forest and hills bring colder winters, hot days and cool nights, and shelter from sea influence and the mistral. The vineyard sits within the Natura 2000 network of protected areas and has been Ecocert-certified organic since its replanting in 2000. The main varieties are Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rolle, made as AOP Coteaux Varois en Provence and IGP Var. Harvest is entirely by hand into small crates.

The winery

Renovated in 2018, the winery spans three levels so that the wine moves by gravity with no pumping. Grapes are sorted on the upper floor, pressed gently in pneumatic presses below, and the juice flows down to a temperature-controlled vat room. Whites are made partly in new French oak and partly in stainless steel. Reds come from low-yielding plots, macerate in amphora-shaped concrete tanks and typically age for 18 months.

The wines and olive oil

The wines come in red, rosé and white across two main cuvées: Château Margüi, the original line, and the more exclusive Bastide de Margüi 1784. The Château Margüi white is pure Rolle and the red blends Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. There is also Secret de Margüi, a sparkling wine. The estate's organic AOP Huile d'olive de Provence comes from terraced groves of Aglandau, with Caillon and Cailletier, hand harvested and cold pressed.

Visiting

The château boutique at 444 route de Barjols sells the estate's wines and olive oil. For the 2026 high season, 11 April to 31 October, it opens Monday from 10:00 to 17:00 and Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00; in the low season it opens Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00. It closes from 24 December to 3 January. French, English and Spanish are spoken. Winery enquiries go to contact@chateaumargui.com or +33 9 77 90 23 18.

Staying at the estate

Château Margüi can be rented year-round through Skywalker Retreats for exclusive stays, small celebrations, corporate events and seminars. Renovated in 2022, the Bastide, Moulin, Bergerie, Observatoire and other buildings offer 11 suites and 7 bedrooms for up to 36 guests, with a wellness area, tasting room and club house. Estate chefs cook Mediterranean menus with vegetables from the kitchen garden. Events for more than 36 guests are considered case by case, and availability is limited from May to September. Accommodation enquiries go to reservations@chateaumargui.com.