CHÉNAS: Where's my Spotlight?

Beaujolais Appellation: 4/12

By Stuart Pigott – last revision: 09.04.26

Vineyard Area: 225 hectares (2024)

Percentage of total production: 1.5% (2024)

Appellation established: 1936

My new website has only been running for just over a week and already reactions split into two opposing factions: the larger one likes my directness; the smaller one finds my tone too drastic and negative. For example, Krystina in London told me that I'm, “fresh and to the point”, whereas Detlev in rural Germany told me, “you need therapy!” Don’t worry Detlev, I’ve had a therapist since 2012, but I feel good at the moment. To make it clear just how much I love Beaujolais, here’s a photograph of me tasting in the region. I think it makes clear how you can be positive and critical at the same time.

Now LIGHTS, SOUND, CAMERA, ACTION for Chénas.

PART ONE: I Wanna Be Somebody! 

Julien Perrachon of Château Bonnet, one of the leading producers in Chénas humbly admitted to me that, “not everyone can stand in the spotlight simultaneously”. During the sixties the Beatles and Rolling Stones timed the release of their records so that they didn’t get in each other’s way, but in Beaujolais with 10 Crus, that’s not going to work. So, somebody ends up in the shadows, and that’s where Chénas is stuck, also because it’s the region’s smallest appellation.

There are other factors too though. The fact that most of the town of Chénas and many of its best vineyard sites lie within the borders of the more famous Moulin-à-Vent appellation doesn’t help. Worse still, not one of the region’s famous producers is based in the appellation of Chénas or primarily has vineyards there. And in 2026 the story of how centuries ago a French King declared that where no vines grows here oak trees must stand, doesn’t compensate for this situation, even though it’s still largely true. 

When we turn to the vineyards themselves the appellation clearly splits into two. The larger part, to the West is on pink granite, and the smaller, lower lying eastern section is sedimentary, some vineyards having cobble stones like in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Now, France has a bunch of village appellations that aren’t homogenous – famous example: Nuits-St.-Georges in Burgundy – but considering now small is Chénas that might feel like an unnecessary complication, although when it comes to Burgundy I often have the impression that for the fanatics it can never be enough complexity to seek out about. Either way, in Chénas there are no simple answers. Fleurie packs less complexity into three times the vineyard area, and that’s why Chénas follows Fleurie in this series: to highlight the contrast. The world is sometimes drastic, and it’s my job to shine a light on that.

PART TWO: And I'm going to be Somebody!

Of course, the most important thing is that there I tasted bunch of very good wines, though sadly no amazing wine. Why was that? The title of this story says everything. Thankfully in André Sarton du Jonchay of Domaine du Jonchay (founded in 2021) has a talented and daring new winemaker who’s beginning a journey of discovery. Now, together with Julien Perrachon, there are two potential occupants for that spotlight, and surely it’s going to turn in this direction at some point during the next years. 

I say to them, yes, it can be stressful to stand in the spotlight and be examined by the audience far more intensely than someone in the safety of the shadows.However,l if you can stand it, then it will boost self-confidence and ambition. I speak from personal experience. And the winemakers of Chénas really need both those things to fulfil the undoubted potential of their appellation.

Just yesterday, a leading German winemaker, told me that I’m already publishing too many tasting notes. “Who can read it all?” he asked. Well, I never suggested to anyone that they read all the tasting notes. Of course, most wine lovers are going to be selective. Anyway, today nobody should have a problem, because there are just…  

13 Tasting notes, three with 94 points.

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PART THREE: I am What I am

2025 REDS

Domaine Anita  Chénas Les Brureaux  Cuvée P’tit Co  2025 – 13.5% / Deep cherry nose! With every minute of aeration this extremely youthful wine becomes more aromatic. Then, way more generosity and structure than the nose suggested. And the freshness means this doesn’t taste the least heavy. The finish glides over off into the distance.  From a high-altitude site with east-northeast exposure and granitic soil. Named after the producer’s son. 93

2024 REDS

Cave du Château de Chénas  Chénas  Coeur de Granit  2024 – 12.5% / Anyone wondering if it’s worth exploring the wines from this small appellation is recommended to try this wine with its impressive depth of fresh black fruit aromas and a wealth of gently tannins that gently build at the long, silky finish. A touch of liquorice there adds character. 91 

Château Bonnet  Chénas  Chat’au Bonnet  2024 – 13% / Although this is crisp and self-confidently dry the strawberry fruit is the most prominent thing about this light and refreshing Beaujolais. 87 

Domaine Anita  Chénas Les Brureaux  2024 – 13.5% / The intense aroma of blood orange gives you a jolt, then sour cherry and strawberry follow in its wake. The sleekness and coolness of the vintage is married to powdery tannins that builds to an impressive crescendo. The liquorice and spice there round it off in a fascinating way. From old vines in a little-known, high-altitude site. 94

Domaine de Boischampt  Chénas  2024 – 12.5% / Very fresh and youthful with plenty of redcurrant and blood orange flavours, this feels lighter than it really is. Zesty finish with some stony minerality. 90

Domaine du Clos du Fief (Michel et Sylvain Tête)  Chénas Les Grands Grandelins  2024 – 13% / The interplay of the wild strawberry and the racy minerality of this wine may be too tense for some, but I think it’s going to become a beauty. Still very young, but it has plenty drive and I’m pretty sure this will develop beautifully if you can be patient. Long, linear and stony finish. 92 

Georges Dubeouf  Chénas Les Darroux  2024 – 12.5% / At once perfumed and well-structured, this wine really shows that the wines of this appellation can command the spotlight, even if they do so in a less charismatic manner than those of Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent. There’s a subtle rooty thread running through this that adds tension and complexity to the crisp, long finish. 93

Yohan Lardy  Chénas “Au Bouchnet”  Pauline  2024 – 13% / Aromas of green and black pepper, plus wild herb aromas make this an extremely expressive wine that blows the myth of this appellation’s unimportance out of the water. Stacks of black berry fruits on the compact and focused palate. Although this has a healthy acidity, the interplay of this with the restrained richness at the finish is tantalizing. 93

2023 REDS

Château Bonnet  Chénas  Le Clos  Vieilles Vignes  2023 – 13.5% / In spite of its generous body and creamy texture on the front-palate, this has plenty of charm thanks to the very ripe strawberry and cherry flavours, then the lively acidity and stony that give is a long animating finish. From a 4 hectare monopole site with cobblestone soil. 93

Domaine du Jonchay  Chénas Les Pendrouilles  2023 – 14% / Seriously concentrated and structured, this is a compact expression of the appellation with black fruit, but not a jot loud, heavy or overly demonstrative.  Lovely freshness at the crisp and firm finish, where there’s stony minerality instead of warmth from alcohol. Plenty of aging potential. 94

D. Piron  Chénas  Quartz  2023 – 13% / A unique and exciting expression of the high-altitude side of this appellation. Very complex wild herb and gentian root character. Super-stony and very cool for the warm  vintage. So much drive and energy at the long, crystalline finish. 94

2022 REDS

Domaine du Jonchay  Chénas Les Pendrouilles  2022 – 13% / Now just beginning to pick up some bottle age, this is a wonderfully fresh expression of this hot dry vintage with quite elegant tannins and a pronounced liquorice note. Self-confidently firm finish with plenty of hot earth character. 92 

Château Bonnet  Chénas  1055  NV – 13.5% / The density of black fruit, roasted meat and balsamic aromas of this wine that’s actually from the 2022 vintage. Way more oaky on the palate the oak than the nose suggested, in fact this aspect of the wine is quite dominant. Trying too hard to grab the spotlight! 88