Terroir & Vineyard

In the middle of the Beaujolais crus, Château de Corcelles enjoys a truly diverse landscape with the mountains on one side and the vast plain of the Saône on the other. This diversity is also linked to the geology of the region, which is particularly complex. Between woods, moors, streams, and hills, the estate’s surroundings nourish the territory’s rich biodiversity.

A mosaic of terroirs for a multi-faceted expression of Gamay

In a semi-continental climate with Mediterranean influences, each plot reveals its character depending on its location within the vineyard.

Beaujolais Blanc
Pruzilly - Corcelles - Saint-Vérand

Planted around the château in Pruzilly and Corcelles en Beaujolais, the Chardonnay vines flourish on clay-limestone soil. This well-balanced soil helps maintain the freshness of the vine and filter the excess water from the rain throughout the year. The result is fresh and smooth white Beaujolais with sweet scents of fruit and flowers.

Beaujolais
Pruzilly - Corcelles-en-Beaujolais - Saint-Vérand

Mainly in Corcelles, on sandy loam scattered with slightly calcareous veins, the Beaujolais from the Estate produces a fruity Gamay perfect for rosés and new reds.

Beaujolais Villages
Pruzilly - Jullié - Saint-Vérand - Le Perréon - Charentay

The Beaujolais Villages are spread over four vineyards located from north to south, de Pruzilly – Saint-Vérand, Jullié, Charentay and Pérréon.

The soils are either granite sand (Pérréon and Jullié) or gravel and pebbles on a lightly clayey subsoil (Saint-Vérand and Charentay). Perréon and Charentay, located 15 km south of Corcelles, create a rich, round, and expressive Gamay. The north-facing terroirs of Pruzilly and Saint-Vérand, 15 km north of Corcelles, are harvested later, which will allow the Gamay to express more elegance and freshness.

Brouilly
Charentay

Next come our plots of Brouilly, located partly in Charentay and Saint Etienne-la-Varenne. The vines grow in shallow soil directly on the rock. The ground is composed of coarse sand from the breakdown of granite. Facing Charentay, the vineyard provides the foundation for the fruit’s structure and character. The section in St-Etienne-la-Varenne grows on a steep slope, 15 km higher in altitude from the castle, making for a slow maturation of tannins shaping complexity and freshness.

Morgon
Morgon

Located in Villié-Morgon, our Morgon vines take root in shallow granite soils mixed with schist. Here the Gamay develops its intense and rich side.

Fleurie
Fleurie

Finally, our Fleurie vines grow in granite sands to the southeast and north of the village of Fleurie, on the edge of the Moulin-à-Vent appellation and its famous Climat Roche Grès. Here, the Gamay can develop its most distinct and subtle side.

A step towards the Environment

At Corcelles, we base our work in the vineyard on three fundamental areas: knowledge, respect for the terroir, and concern for the environment.

For many years, Château de Corcelles has been committed to an eco-responsible approach, from cultivating the vine to vinifying its wines. Therefore, we have put into place certain practices, such as grassing the plots, which facilitates the development of the biological activity of the soils or training the vines to favor the mechanical work of the ground and banning chemical weedkillers.

The Estate received its Terra Vitis certification in 2019 and the High Environmental Value (HVE) label in 2020 for its choices in crop protection, water management, and its particular attention to biodiversity conservation.