Château de la Chaize - Brûlhier 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

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 At the same time, a number of renovation projects have been undertaken, particularly in the winery, whose outdated charm and organization had been a hindrance to the production of great wines.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 straightness, already displays a certain elegance.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

More often in the spotlight for its brouillys, the domaine makes a strong impression with this admirable Côte-de-Brouilly, born of 60-year-old vines rooted in bluestone soil (1 ha). The nose elegantly blends morello cherry, blackberry and spices with a fine, racy woodiness (18 months in barrel) and a more mineral touch. The palate is straightforward on the attack, then develops with finesse, without excess, but with great depth, around delicate, silky tannins enveloped by luscious fruit and woody, cocoa-tinged tones. A bottle that will age with serenity.

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

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, succulent and enveloping, deep and concentrated, and a chassis of powdery tannins coated in bright fruit.

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 estates to visit on my next tasting trip to Beaujolais.

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

About the wine:

Brulhier, with its vines planted in 1950 and its southern exposure and altitude, blows hot and cold. A wine of a higher order is sensed: beautifully ripe stone fruit intermingles with mountain flowers and tomato leaves. The palate is majestic, thanks to diffused power, precise, stretched tannins and a long, smooth finish. It can be cellared for at least ten years.

About the domain :

By buying this estate in 2017, Christophe Gruy 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 "small" cuvées, and a serious, deep and controlled style for the parcellaires; its coherence enables the domaine to return to our guide. Beaujolais needs ambitious projects of this kind, and we'll be keeping a close eye on them over the coming vintages.

Wine Enthusiast

James Suckling

About the wine:

Anyone who doubts that Cru Beaujolais can be as impressive as Burgundy or Rhône wines should taste this deep, well-structured Côte de Brouilly. The almost cassis-liqueur character on the nose, but without any hint of overripeness, is married to generous, fine tannins. Excellent harmony and with a little more length, it would be even better rated. To drink or to keep.