Château des Boccards: AOC Chénas, La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, Beaujolais

History and origins of the estate

The name Boccards is no romantic invention. It refers to a real hamlet, built on the highest point of the main hillside of La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, and its earliest inhabitants are recorded as far back as 1440: Hugonin, Barthélémy and Pierre Boccard, censitaires of Geoffroy de Germolles, knight and lord of Banans. One Maître Philippe Boccard, a notary in the town, drew up his will "in a small room in his buildings known as des Boccards".

Since then, the property has passed through centuries and families. Louis Trichard, a wine merchant, owned it in 1845. His son sold it in 1851 to Hubert Orta of Lyon; the estate was then auctioned to Monsieur Dubost in 1891. From the early twentieth century until 1977, it passed successively through the Mercier and Lachat families. Today, the Pelloux family watches over Boccards, with one simple, constant ambition: wines worthy of every occasion.

The terroir and its unique character

Chénas occupies a singular place in the Beaujolais landscape. With just 260 hectares, it is the region's smallest appellation, tucked between Moulin-à-Vent, Saint-Amour, Juliénas and Fleurie, in that golden northern Beaujolais square that serious Cru lovers know well. Its name comes from the ancient oak trees (chênes) that once covered these slopes, cleared by the Gallo-Romans and later by monastic orders under the ordinance of Philippe V le Long.

Château des Boccards is rooted in shallow granite soils, the mineral foundation that gives Gamay its tension, freshness and remarkable aromatic intensity on this type of terroir. The named plot "En Papolet", planted in full Chénas territory, is widely regarded as one of the most qualitative climates in the appellation. The vines here produce grapes of concentration and aromatic finesse that translate directly into the bottle.

Working the vines and our commitments

Château des Boccards has held its Organic Agriculture certification since 1995, a date that reveals everything about the depth of this commitment. At a time when organic viticulture in the Beaujolais was still the exception, not the trend, the decision had already been made. The entire vineyard is farmed to the full organic specification, without compromise, in the firm belief that respecting the soil means respecting the wine it produces.

The same respect for the fruit guides winemaking. The grapes are partly poured into the vat intact, a technique that preserves the maximum of aromatics and the natural freshness of the berries. Fermentation runs from 6 to 12 days depending on the vintage and vine age. At pressing, the free-run juice, fine and fruity, is blended with the press wine, which brings body and tannins, ensuring both balance and the capacity to age well.

The Pelloux family has also chosen to plant Chardonnay in order to explore Beaujolais Blanc, a decision that speaks to their broader vision: remaining open to the evolution of wine lovers' tastes while staying true to their territory. The first vintage 2024, produced on the "En Pérelles" plots in La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, is now available.

Grape varieties and appellations

The Château des Boccards vineyard is planted exclusively with Gamay noir à jus blanc for its reds and rosés. Gamay is the reigning grape of the Beaujolais, on the granite soils of Chénas, it develops a mineral character, natural freshness and intense aromatics that few other varieties can match on this type of ground. Recently, the Pelloux family planted Chardonnay to produce the Beaujolais Blanc "En Pérelles".

The range covers three complementary expressions: Chénas "En Papolet" (red, a single-plot climate at the heart of the appellation), Beaujolais Blanc "En Pérelles" (Chardonnay, first vintage 2024, mineral and fruity) and Beaujolais Rosé (freshness and fruit of the Gamay). Prestige Gift Sets are also available, ideal for giving, celebrating or discovering the Chénas appellation in a single selection.

The wine style and the cuvées

The Boccards wines are mineral, consistently fresh, charming and supple, with intense aromatics and a soft structure that makes them pleasurable from the first pour, while the finest bottles carry genuine ageing potential across several years.

What you will only find at Château des Boccards

Organic since 1995, before it was fashionable. In the Beaujolais of the 1990s, choosing organic viticulture was a conviction, not a marketing argument. Château des Boccards was already there. Thirty years of farming without synthetic inputs, on a granite soil that still carries every benefit of that commitment, vintage after vintage.

The "En Papolet" climate, a named address within Chénas. Not a generic Chénas: a single-plot selection from one of the most highly regarded climates in the appellation. It is this level of precision, choosing the right parcel, farming it organically, vinifying with care, that separates one wine from another within the same appellation.

Six centuries of history on the same hillside. The Boccards name is documented from 1440. Behind that figure lies an intimate knowledge of the place, a continuity of gaze upon the terroir that few estates can genuinely claim. Each vintage is part of a very long memory.

The first Boccards Chardonnay — vintage 2024. The decision to plant Chardonnay on the "En Pérelles" plots is recent. The resulting Beaujolais Blanc, mineral, fresh and grounded, is a rarity in the appellation. For those seeking an organic Beaujolais white with genuine character, very few alternatives exist at this level.

Frequently asked questions about Château des Boccards