Château de la Chaize - Brûlhier 2018

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 Beaujolais, 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 At the same time, extensive renovation work has begun, particularly in the cellar, whose outdated charm and layout had been hindering the production of fine wines.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 all the 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 wine:

Although better known for its Brouilly wines, the estate makes a strong impression with this admirable Côte-de-Brouilly, produced from 60-year-old vines rooted in blue stone soil (1 ha). The nose elegantly blends morello cherry, blackberry, and spices with a beautiful, refined oakiness (18 months in barrel) and a touch of minerality. The palate opens with a clean attack, then develops with finesse, without excess, yet with beautiful depth, centered on delicate, silky tannins enveloped by savory fruit and oak with cocoa notes. A wine that will age beautifully.

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:

The 2018 Côte de Brouilly Brûlhier offers a generous bouquet of cherries, blackberries, and dark chocolate, followed by a medium- to full-bodied palate that is succulent and enveloping, deep and concentrated, with a framework of velvety tannins enveloped in vibrant fruit.

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 wine:

Brulhier, with its vineyards planted in 1950 and its south-facing, high-altitude location, offers a blend of warmth and coolness. One senses a wine of superior quality: beautifully ripe stone fruits intertwine with mountain flowers and tomato leaves. The palate is majestic, thanks to a diffuse power, precise and lingering tannins, and a long, smooth finish. It has the potential to age beautifully in the cellar for at least ten years.

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 plans to achieve “zero-waste” production. 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

James Suckling

About the wine:

Anyone who doubts that a Beaujolais Cru can be as impressive as wines from Burgundy or the Rhône should try this deep, well-structured Côte de Brouilly. Its almost blackcurrant-liqueur character on the nose—yet without a hint of overripeness—is paired with generous, refined tannins. It exhibits excellent balance, and with just a bit more length, it would score even higher. Drink now or cellar.