Discovering the Chénas AOC

After Saint-Amour and Fleurie, have you heard of the Chénas AOC? It’s one of the 10 crusof the Beaujolais region!

The village of Chénas

Here we are near Chénas, a small village of 500 inhabitants that gave its name to one of the 12 AOCs of the Beaujolais region. The village itself takes its name from the ancient oak groves that grew here during Roman times. So now, as you can see, the ancient oak trees have given way to vineyards since 1316, thanks to a royal edict. Later, Chénas even had the privilege of being Louis XIII’s favorite wine.

The vineyards of the Chénas AOC, a Beaujolais wine

The Chénas vineyard stretches out in a long, narrow strip. It overlooks the Moulin-à-Vent region, its famous neighbor. It slopes gently to the west and gradually becomes flatter toward the east, as it approaches the Saône River. It is the smallest appellation in the Beaujolais region in terms of area. As a result, it’s a wine that’s hard to come by at the dinner table!

Serving Suggestions for AOC Chénas

Chénas wine is known for its richness. It is smooth on the palate, well-structured, and pairs perfectly with a good veal blanquette or poultry. It also goes very well with strong cheeses. Personally, I love it with beef tartare. And why not try it with chili con carne?

Why trust us?

Since 2014, Les Grappes has been dedicated to meeting passionate winemakers across France to unearth authentic, vibrant wines with rich histories. By collaborating directly with over 500 vintners, we meticulously select cuvées that we genuinely appreciate and are eager to share with you.

This blog serves as an extension of that journey. Here, we share our discoveries, expert advice, favorite selections, optimal food and wine pairings, tasting recommendations, and everything that inspires us daily in the world of wine.

The objective is straightforward: to assist you in selecting bottles that align with your preferences and to enhance your enjoyment in tasting them.