Did You Know?... Why So Many French Wines are Labeled as "Chateau"

"Chateau" means "Lord's Manor" or "Castle" in French. While the monks defined the parcels that led to today's wine, those who developed those same parcels into great wine estates in the more recent centuries came to use the term to denote great wine houses. These days in France, it is a protected term for wine labels, and helps to define the most prestigious terrior.