Winemaker Notes
In 1674, François de La Chaize d’Aix, steward of Lyon, purchased the land known as La Douze at the foot of Mont Brouilly, in southern Beaujolais. He hired France’s most esteemed architect at the time François Mansard to build the château and assigned André Le Nôtre, famed-gardener to the king of France and head designer for the gardens of Versailles, to build the gardens around Château de La Chaize.
Château de La Chaize is among the oldest, most historic estates in Burgundy’s Beaujolais region. Cared for by the same family for nearly three and a half centuries, the estate has been passed on to new owners, the Gruy family, who are equally committed to managing the estate with the utmost care, while implementing an ambitious environmental plan. Among the many initiatives is the conversion of all vineyards to organic farming, the adoption of precision viticulture, reducing carbon their carbon footprint, and recycling every by-product from viti- and vinicultural activity, to achieve zero waste.
The estate covers nearly 300 ha of contiguous land, including 100 ha of vines in Brouilly. This ownership offers Château de La Chaize the autonomy to apply specific viticultural practices, which affect soil life, fauna, and flora diversity. Woodlands and meadows surround the estate, forming a natural barrier around the vines. These serve as “tools” for controlling the environment of the vineyards and contributes to a balanced, rich and thriving ecosystem.