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Château de l Eclair
Historic estate and experimental vineyard (SICAREX, IFV) in the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées.
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Château de l'Éclair - the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées, a historic estate and experimental vineyard
Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, Chénas and atypical cuvées - Liergues, Pierres Dorées (Rhône)
In the heart of the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées, in Liergues, Château de l'Éclair is a historic 20-hectare wine estate that is also the experimental vineyard of SICAREX Beaujolais and the French Vine and Wine Institute (IFV). Gamay and chardonnay grow alongside rare grapes, Gamaret, Gaminot, Muscat, for modern, expressive wines, certified Terra Vitis and HVE (and organic on some plots).
Some châteaux look to the past; others invent the wine of tomorrow. Château de l'Éclair does both. A 19th-century building amid the Pierres Dorées, it has also been, since 1982, the playground of Beaujolais research: a cellar dedicated to trials, grapes rarely seen in the region, new ways of making wine. What works then moves into the range. Living, open, curious wines, to discover direct on Avenue des Vins.
A Beaujolais château steeped in history, from Vermorel to research
The estate's story begins in 1837, when the Guinon family laid the foundations of the property; the château itself was completed in 1871. In 1891 it took the name it bears today, Château de l'Éclair, under Victor Vermorel, a major figure of the Beaujolais, an industrialist and ampelographer devoted to the vine.
Since 1982, the estate has taken on a unique dimension: it belongs to SICAREX Beaujolais and hosts, alongside the French Vine and Wine Institute (IFV), a centre for viticultural and oenological research. In other words, this château is not only a place of production: it is one of the full-scale laboratories of the Beaujolais vineyard.
We are in the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées, in the south of the region, nicknamed the "little Tuscany" for its villages of ochre limestone that glow in the sun. A postcard setting for an estate resolutely turned towards the future.
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The Pierres Dorées, terroir of the Beaujolais "little Tuscany"
The south of the Beaujolais, that of the Pierres Dorées, owes its "little Tuscany" nickname to the ochre-tinted limestone that clothes its villages and its soils. Here we are far from the granite of the northern crus: the limestone and clay-limestone soils give gamay a softer, fruitier face, and offer chardonnay a fine canvas for tender, fragrant whites.
It is also a terroir suited to experimentation. Because the estate tests new grapes and new growing methods plot by plot, it explores expressions that few Beaujolais properties dare: a Gamaret red, a Muscat, trials that, once conclusive, join the commercial range. Here the terroir serves as a laboratory as much as a signature.
Pierres Dorées - limestone and clay-limestone soils · soft, fruity gamay, tender chardonnay
Gamay noir à jus blanc · the king grape of the Beaujolais
Experimental grapes · Gamaret, Gaminot, Muscat
Terra Vitis, HVE, organic (some plots) · more responsible viticulture
When research shapes the wine: the experimental cellar
What sets Château de l'Éclair apart is its double life. Alongside classic production, the estate hosts the experiments of SICAREX Beaujolais and the IFV in a cellar entirely dedicated to research. There, on a small scale, new growing practices, grapes still rare in the region and novel ways of making wine are tested.
This research is not confined to the laboratory: when a trial proves conclusive, it concretely enriches the estate's practices and its range. The drinker benefits directly, with wines designed to be modern, approachable and expressive, like a medal-winning Gamaret or a Muscat, two grapes you would not necessarily expect in the Beaujolais. The alliance of terroir, know-how and research, in every bottle.
A SICAREX & IFV experimental vineyard
A cellar dedicated to viticultural and oenological trials, where the practices and grapes of the Beaujolais of tomorrow are prepared.
Grapes rare in the region
Gamaret and Gaminot, hardy crossings, and aromatic Muscat broaden the palette beyond traditional gamay.
A responsible approach
Terra Vitis and High Environmental Value (HVE) certifications, and organic farming on part of the plots.
The cuvées of Château de l'Éclair
From classic Beaujolais to exploratory cuvées, the range covers every style, in red and in white. The available vintages change with the bottlings: find those on offer on the estate's page.
Gamaret de l'Éclair
Red wine · Gamaret grape · Gold medal (Gamaret 2019, Best Value Selection – Anivin de France)
The estate's experimental signature. Gamaret, a red grape still rare in France, gives here a deeply coloured, structured wine, fuller than gamay, awarded a gold medal on the 2019 vintage. The perfect example of a trial that became a cuvée in its own right.
Chénas "Le Bucher"
Beaujolais cru · Gamay · Red wine
The house cru. Chénas, one of the ten Beaujolais crus and the rarest of them, offers a deeper, more structured gamay, built for the table and for keeping. An incursion by the estate into the north of the vineyard, far from the Pierres Dorées.
Beaujolais blanc "Pierres Dorées"
Beaujolais blanc · Chardonnay · White wine
The chardonnay of the Pierres Dorées sector, for a tender, fragrant white Beaujolais on white flowers and citrus. Proof that the Beaujolais is not only red: a fresh white, perfect as an aperitif and with fish.
Beaujolais & Beaujolais-Villages reds
Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages · Gamay · Cuvées "La Réserve", "Courtieux"…
The heart of the range: generous, supple gamays, in the image of the limestone terroir of the Pierres Dorées. Reds for pleasure, fruity and easy-drinking, to enjoy young, including, in autumn, the famous Beaujolais Nouveau.
Muscat de l'Éclair
Exploratory cuvée · Muscat · Aromatic wine
The estate's other curiosity: a Muscat, an intensely aromatic grape extremely rare in the Beaujolais, also born of the experimental approach. A fragrant, original wine, to discover for stepping off the beaten track.
Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées · Experimental vineyard · Careful delivery across France and Europe
Why choose the wines of Château de l'Éclair
An estate like no other. A historic Pierres Dorées château and the experimental vineyard of Beaujolais research (SICAREX, IFV): every bottle carries this dual identity, between heritage and innovation.
Wines found nowhere else. A medal-winning Gamaret, a Muscat, rare grapes born of research: plenty to surprise, next to the great Beaujolais classics.
The whole Beaujolais palette. From white Beaujolais to the Chénas cru, by way of gamay reds and Beaujolais Nouveau: a complete, modern and approachable range.
Responsible viticulture. Terra Vitis and HVE certifications, and organic farming on part of the plots: a concrete commitment to the environment.
Direct from the estate. Avenue des Vins gives you access to Château de l'Éclair's cuvées without needless intermediaries, with careful delivery across France and Europe.
Frequently asked questions about Château de l'Éclair
Where is Château de l'Éclair located?
The estate is in Liergues, in the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées (Porte des Pierres Dorées, 69400), north-west of Lyon, in the Rhône. It covers 20 hectares in the heart of this southern Beaujolais area nicknamed the "little Tuscany".
What is the estate's history?
The estate was born in 1837 with the Guinon family; the château was completed in 1871 and took the name Château de l'Éclair in 1891, under Victor Vermorel. Since 1982 it has belonged to SICAREX Beaujolais and houses, with the IFV, a centre for viticultural and oenological research.
What is an experimental vineyard?
It is an estate where viticultural and oenological research is carried out at full scale. At Château de l'Éclair, SICAREX Beaujolais and the French Vine and Wine Institute (IFV) test new practices, new grapes and new winemaking methods in a dedicated cellar. Conclusive trials then enrich the estate's range.
Which grapes does Château de l'Éclair grow?
Gamay (noir à jus blanc) and chardonnay, the traditional Beaujolais grapes, but also grapes rare in the region, born of research: Gamaret, Gaminot and Muscat. This diversity lets the estate offer both classic wines and more unexpected cuvées.
What is Gamaret?
Gamaret is a red grape, a crossing of gamay and reichensteiner, prized for its deep colour and structure. Still rare in France, it gives Château de l'Éclair a full-bodied, original cuvée, awarded a gold medal on the 2019 vintage. It is one of the finest examples of the estate's experimental spirit.
Are the wines of Château de l'Éclair organic?
The estate is certified Terra Vitis and High Environmental Value (HVE), two responsible-viticulture approaches, and part of the plots is farmed organically. Organic certification does not yet cover the whole estate: refer to each cuvée's page for details.
Which cuvées does the estate produce?
The range brings together Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages gamay reds ("La Réserve", "Courtieux" and the Beaujolais Nouveau) and a white Beaujolais "Pierres Dorées" from chardonnay. It also includes a Chénas "Le Bucher" cru and exploratory cuvées such as the Gamaret de l'Éclair and the Muscat de l'Éclair. The selection changes by vintage.
Isn't the Beaujolais only red?
No, and Château de l'Éclair is the proof. Alongside the gamay reds, the estate produces a chardonnay white Beaujolais, an aromatic Muscat and experimental grapes. The Pierres Dorées area is in fact known for its whites, often overlooked.
Which dishes to pair with these wines and at what temperature to serve them?
The red Beaujolais, supple and fruity, are served cool (around 13-14 °C) with charcuterie, poultry or convivial dishes; the Chénas cru and the Gamaret, more structured, go with red meats and cheeses. The white Beaujolais and the Muscat, served cool (10-12 °C), are perfect as an aperitif and with fish.
Where to buy the wines of Château de l'Éclair direct?
The cuvées of Château de l'Éclair are available on Avenue des Vins, in a short supply chain: the bottles come straight from the estate, with no needless intermediary, and are shipped to France as well as to the European countries eligible for delivery. The selection and vintages on offer vary with the bottlings.
Gamaret, Chénas, white Beaujolais and gamay reds - direct from the estate
Château de l'Éclair - a historic 20-hectare wine estate in the Beaujolais of the Pierres Dorées, in Liergues, and the experimental vineyard of SICAREX Beaujolais and the IFV. Certified Terra Vitis and HVE, organic on some plots.
Gamay, chardonnay, Gamaret, Gaminot, Muscat - Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, Chénas and exploratory cuvées - direct from the estate