Château Margüi

Château Margüi sits in the heart of Provence Verte, in the Haut-Var, on the road between Châteauvert and Barjols. The estate traces its story back around 2,600 years, to Gallo-Roman farmers who worked these hills above the Argens river, and remains of that era, including amphorae, were uncovered on the property in 2002. Its bastide was built in 1784 in the style of the bastides aixoises, and the statue of Ondine in front of it is a nod to the three natural springs that have fed this land for centuries.

The modern chapter began in 1999, when the Guillanton family took over the property and replanted the vineyard from 2000. In 2017 Château Margüi joined Skywalker Vineyards, which also includes Skywalker Vineyards in Marin County, California, and Viandante del Cielo on the shores of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria.

Terroir and vineyard

The vines grow on hillsides at 200 to 300 metres, ringed by forest. That topography gives the estate colder winters and more contrasting summers than the Mediterranean coast, with hot days and cool nights, while the hills shelter the vineyard from maritime influence and soften the mistral. The property lies within the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, on clay-limestone soils.

Around 22 hectares are planted to vines, alongside 5 hectares of organic olive groves and some 65 hectares of forest. The vineyard has been Ecocert-certified organic since it was replanted in 2000, and every parcel is harvested by hand into small crates; grapes for the whites and rosés are chilled before a gentle pressing. The main varieties are Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rolle, bottled as AOP Coteaux Varois en Provence and IGP Var.

The winery

The cellar was renovated in 2018 and is built over three levels, so juice and wine move entirely by gravity with no pumping. Whites are raised partly in new French oak and partly in stainless steel. Reds come from low-yielding plots, are macerated in amphora-shaped concrete tanks and then spend around 18 months in barrel.

The wines

The range comes in red, rosé and white across two lines. Cuvée Château is the estate signature, with a rosé, a white made entirely from Rolle and a red blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cuvée Bastide 1784 is the more exclusive line, with its own rosé, a Rolle white and two different Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon reds. The estate also presses its own organic olive oil.

Visiting

The château boutique is the place to taste and buy wine and olive oil. In 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 low season it has opened Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00. It closes from 24 December to 3 January, and the team speaks French, English and Spanish.

For a structured visit, the estate's signature tasting workshop is booked through Winedering. It lasts about an hour and a quarter for groups of two to ten, runs Monday to Saturday with start times between 10:30 and 16:30, and should be booked at least a day ahead. A member of the estate team introduces the history of the property, its organic farming and winemaking, then leads a short aroma game and a guided tasting of seven organic AOP wines from both ranges, finished with the estate olive oil and bread. The standard tasting is listed at €20 per adult and the premium option at €35, which adds wines from Skywalker Ranch and Viandante del Cielo with tapenade. The tasting fee is refunded against a wine purchase of equal value, and bookings can be cancelled free of charge up to three days before.

Staying at the estate

Château Margüi is also home to Skywalker Retreats, an estate rented for exclusive use. Eighteen rooms and suites (11 suites and 7 bedrooms) are spread across the Bastide, the Moulin, the Bergerie and the Observatoire, renovated in 2022, and sleep up to 36 guests. Estate chefs cook with produce from the kitchen garden, and the property hosts family gatherings, seminars and special events, with larger events considered case by case. Stay enquiries go to reservations@chateaumargui.com.