Château de la Chaize - Fleurie Lieu-dit La Chapelle des bois rouge 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

This Fleurie is remarkably well-crafted, with ripe fruit and harmonious flavors and fruitiness; it has a precise, energetic palate and an easy-drinking finish. A beautiful wine overall.

About the estate:

As we announced in the previous issue, Château de la Chaize—previously owned by the Marquise de Roussy de Sales—has been purchased by Christophe Gruy and his Maïa Group. With 250 hectares of vineyards—including 99 hectares of Brouilly—Château de la Chaize is one of the most beautiful estates in the Beaujolais region, and the new owner aims to convert it 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 At the same time, extensive renovation work has begun, particularly in the winery, whose outdated charm and layout had been hindering the production of great wines.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 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 operations manager). Numerous projects are currently underway, including the transition to organic and biodynamic farming.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Aromas of red berries and sweet spices, framed by a subtle patina resulting from aging in a newly acquired oak cask, characterize the 2020 Fleurie La Chapelle des Bois, a medium- to full-bodied wine that is full-flavored and vibrant, with a brilliant fruity core, supple tannins, and a briny finish.

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 earned 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:

With its understated and austere style, this Fleurie will take time to develop. However, one can already discern high-quality fruit, nuanced by hints of pine needles and warm stone. The palate is long and nuanced, yet there is still a strong mineral energy that will carry this cuvée a long way.

About the estate:

When he purchased this estate in 2017, Christophe Gruy decided to awaken a sleeping beauty. A historic Brouilly estate, previously farmed 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, 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.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This single-vineyard wine is well-balanced. It is full of juicy dark fruit, with good acidity and a solid structure. Its taut texture suggests aging potential. Best enjoyed starting in 2024.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Very well-structured, understated, and elegant, with a fresh and delicate character for such a warm vintage—this is a truly striking Fleurie. I love the interplay between the tart cherry and the fine tannins on a concentrated and elegant palate. It develops slowly in the glass as it breathes. A very long and elegant finish.