Château de la Chaize - Brouilly 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

As we reported in the previous issue, Château de la Chaize, previously owned by the Marquise de Roussy de Sales, has been acquired by Christophe Gruy and his Maïa group. With a 250-hectare vineyard, including 99 hectares of Brouilly, Château de la Chaize is one of the most beautiful estates in the Beaujolais region, which the new owner aims to convert to organic farming. At the same time, extensive renovation work has begun, particularly in the cellar, whose outdated charm and layout had been hindering the production of fine wines. The first wines of the Maïa era have not yet been released, but we would like to commend this colossal, visionary, and courageous investment in a region that has every potential to shine. While the 2017s still lack depth and personality, the 2018s represent a major step forward. Brûlhier is rich and generous, and Combiliaty, with its granite-driven structure, already displays a certain elegance.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

This Grand Siècle-style château, built in 1674 according to plans by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, features gardens designed by André Le Nôtre. The vineyard is one of the largest in the Beaujolais region: it comprises 300 hectares in a single block, 150 of which are under cultivation, with a plot-by-plot approach to winemaking. It was acquired in 2017 by the Gruy family (Christophe and his nephew Boris, the vineyard manager). Numerous projects are currently underway, including the transition to organic and biodynamic farming.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Aromas of sweet berries, spices, and forest floor notes introduce the 2017 Brouilly from Château de La Chaize, a medium- to full-bodied wine with a crisp core of fruit framed by firm, somewhat austere tannins.

About the estate:

The ambitious restoration of Château de La Chaize and its vineyards—including a transition to organic farming—is continuing, and the results are beginning to show in the glass. With these new developments, this estate has immediately secured a spot on my shortlist of wineries to visit during my next tasting trip to the Beaujolais region.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

When he purchased this estate in 2017, Christophe Gruy set out to revive a sleeping beauty. A historic Brouilly property, previously farmed by sharecroppers, La Chaize now benefits from an owner who has fully embraced its potential: significant investments have been made in viticulture (a replanting program and the transition to organic farming), technical (the winemaking facilities are undergoing a massive renovation), and human resources (Pierre-Jean Villa as consultant, and winemaker Boris Gruy, Christophe’s nephew, appointed director) to bring the château’s 150 hectares to their highest potential. To top it all off, the new owner is planning a “zero-waste” production model. The range features a rich, spontaneous style for the “smaller” cuvées, and a serious, deep, and controlled style for the single-vineyard wines; its consistency allows the estate to reconnect with our guide. Beaujolais needs this type of ambitious project, which we will follow closely over the coming vintages.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Although the wine has good structure, its main focus is on the generous black cherry fruit intertwined with acidity. Freshness and texture go hand in hand in a wine that will be ready by the end of 2020.

James Suckling