Château de la Chaize - Brouilly Les Deux Amis 2023

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 At the same time, extensive renovation work has begun, particularly in the winery, whose outdated charm and layout had been hindering the production of great wines.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 2017 vintages still lack depth and character, the 2018s represent a major step forward. Brûlhier is rich and generous, and Combiliaty, with its granite-driven structure, already displays a certain elegance.

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 operations manager). Numerous projects are currently underway, including the transition to organic and biodynamic farming.

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 earned a spot on my shortlist of wineries to visit during my next tasting trip to the Beaujolais region.

Les Deux Amis is the perfect introduction to the wine, with bold fruit, toasty notes, and smooth tannins.

When he purchased this estate in 2017, Christophe Gruy decided to awaken a sleeping beauty. A historic Brouilly property, previously cultivated by sharecroppers, La Chaize now benefits from an owner who has come to fully appreciate its potential: major 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 an advisor, and winemaker Boris Gruy—Christophe’s nephew—appointed as 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 process. The wine lineup features a rich and spontaneous style for the “smaller” cuvées, and a serious, deep, and masterfully crafted style for the single-vineyard wines; its consistency allows the estate to re-establish its place in our guide. Beaujolais needs this kind of ambitious project, which we will follow closely over the coming vintages.

This Brouilly, with its slightly medium body, is all elegance and precision. It offers generous aromas of red currant and wild blackberry, without being overpowering. There are also notes of wildflowers. The supple tannins unfold beautifully in a surprisingly long and velvety finish. Made from organically grown grapes. A blend of wines from two plots located at the foot of the hillside. Aged for nine months in large oak vats. Ready to drink now.