Protected by walls built in 1976, Clos la Chaize offers us a Brouilly of the highest order. Beyond its fruity juice with hints of quetsche, the porphyroid granite terroir lends elegance and length to the wine, which gives off the scent of sun-warmed stone. Delicacy, chewiness and potential are the watchwords of this great Brouilly.
Features
Estate
Château de la Chaize
Cuvée
La Chaize
Vintage
2017
Designation
Brouilly
Region
Beaujolais
Grape varieties
100% Gamay
Terroirs
Steep hillside behind the château, with the Clos de La Chaize in the center of the plot, protected by walls built in 1676, porphyroid granite soil, south-east exposure, vines aged between 50 and 115 years.
Viticulture
Traditional and meticulous
Harvest
Manual in 13 kg cases
Winemaking
Parcellaire, 90% Burgundy (de-stemmed), pumping over without punching down, indigenous yeasts, 14-day vatting.
Breeding
18 months in lightning
Alcohol content
13%
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Deep ruby colour
Nose
Fragrances of lily and violet, notes of Meched black cherry and black pepper
Mouth
Fruity juice with hints of quetsche, delicate and easily digestible finish, fragrance of sun-warmed stone from porphyroid granite, chewy and full of potential.
Serve
AT 15-16°C
Drink before
2027
Guard
5 to 10 years
Food and wine pairing
Perfect with rabbit stew, guinea fowl with cabbage, or rack of lamb.
Château de la Chaize
Brouilly
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domain rated (guide 2021) 2*Stars (A serious and recommendable production, but a little more regular and homogeneous than the previous one)
About the domain :
As announced 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 250 hectares of vineyards, including 99 hectares of Brouilly, Château de la Chaize is one of the finest estates in the Beaujolais region, and the new owner's ambition is to convert it to organic production. At the same time, extensive renovation work has been undertaken, in particular in the winery, whose outdated charm and organization were still a hindrance to the production of great wines. The first wines of the Maïa era are not yet born, but we would like to salute this colossal, visionary and courageous investment in a region that has every potential to shine. If the 2017s still lack substance and personality, the 2018s take a big step forward. Brûlhier is greedy and generous, and Combiliaty, with its granitic uprightness, already displays a certain elegance.
Guide Hachette des vins
Domain rated (guide 2022) Award-winning wines (The wines of this producer are regularly awarded by the guide)
About the domain :
This Grand Siècle château, built in 1674 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 covers 300 hectares in a single block, 150 of which are in operation, with a parcel-by-parcel approach to wine-making. It was bought in 2017 by the Gruy family (Christophe and his nephew Boris, operations manager). Numerous projects are underway, including the transition to organic and biodynamic farming.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated (2019 guide) 91/100 (Wonderful wine)
Domain rated (guide 2021) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
Attractive aromas of red fruits and forest floor characterize Château de La Chaize's Brouilly vieilles vignes, a medium- to full-bodied, velvety wine with good depth and concentration, lively acids and fine, structuring tannins.
About the domain :
The ambitious restoration of Château de La Chaize and its vineyards - including a transition to organic farming - continues, and the results are beginning to show in the glass. With these new developments, this property has immediately earned itself a place in my shortlist of domains to visit on my next tasting trip to Beaujolais.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2018 guide) 15-16/20 (Very good wine)
Rated Domaine (2022 guide) Quoted
About the wine:
Strongly fruity juice (quetsche), with a cool, digestible finish. With cuvée Combiliaty (15-16/20, €20), the porphyroid granite gives off a scent of sun-warmed stone. Chewy and full of potential.
About the domain :
When Christophe Gruy bought this estate in 2017, he decided to wake up a sleeping beauty. A historic Brouilly property previously farmed by sharecroppers, La Chaize benefits from an owner who has now taken the measure: major investments have been undertaken in viticulture (replanting program and transition to organic), technology (the winemaking facilities are the subject of a pharaonic worksite) and human resources (Pierre-Jean Villa on board, Christophe's nephew winemaker Boris Gruy appointed manager) to raise the château's 150 hectares to their highest level. To crown it all, the new owner is planning "zero waste" production. The range is based on a gourmet, spontaneous style for the "petites" cuvées, and a serious, deep and controlled style for the parcellaires; its coherence has enabled the domaine to return to our guide. Beaujolais needs this kind of ambitious project, and we'll be keeping a close eye on it over the next few vintages.
Wine Enthusiast
Wine rated (2020 guide) 92/100
Domain rated (guide 2021) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Wine Enthusiast)
About the wine:
This wine from a single parcel has a structure revealing a framework of ripe tannins. It comes from a southeast-facing slope near the 17th-century château. Richly textured with ripe black fruit, the wine will be ready to drink from late 2020.
James Suckling
Wine rated (2019 guide) 90/100
Rated Domaine (2021 guide) Recommended
About the wine:
Very vibrant strawberries with a succulent, juicy touch on the palate that really offers a richness of attractive, lively drinkability. The acidity and tannins are really fresh. Ready now.
Customer reviews
Customer rating
3.8/5
on 6 reviews
Note and review by M. PATRICE T. Published on 26/10/2024
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Note and review by M. GABRIEL D. Published on 23/03/2024
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Note and review by M. MANUEL R. Published on 29/11/2022
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Note and review by M. JACQUILLAT MATTHIEU A. Published on 26/03/2022
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Note and review by M. GERARD G. Published on 03/09/2020
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Note and review by M. BERNARD L. Published on 05/12/2019
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