Pasquier Desvignes

At the centre of the Côtes du Rhône, Beaujolais & Bourgogne AOCs...

The Château Saint Laurent d’Arpaye

Ideally located in Fleurie, at the crossroads of these three great production regions, the Quinson family has owned the Château Saint Laurent d’Arpaye since 1904.

It has made its estate the eulogist of the Fleurie appellation, a Côte du Rhône appreciated under the “Chemin des Papes” label, the whole range of a generous Burgundy and all of the generic Beaujolais productions, villages and Crus, not forgetting the iconic Beaujolais nouveau.

The nature of the soils

From the sedimentary clay-limestone terrain of the Maconnais, we move sharply to an area of highly diversified primary rocks (granite, gneiss, schist) superficially broken down into gravel and sandy earth (arena) and very highly enriched with metalliferous dykes: diorite, manganese and iron.

From the 17th century, contemporaries observed that the wine grew better here than elsewhere.

Oenologist

Planting and the nature of the wines

A 100% Gamay wine is matured in the Château’s vaulted cellars, with a beautiful deep ruby colour and deep purple glints, produced from our extremely old vines.

The pleasant aromas of dark berry fruit, mature raspberries and peonies accompanied by hints of white flowers blend with the tight tannins on the palate. This long and elegant wine may be kept for 4 to 5 years and accompanies white meats, small feathered game and cheese.

Breakdown of the site’s personnel by broad function (end of 2007)

Sales/sales management/marketing:	3
Corporate/administrative services:	4
Production/operations:	32
Total:	39

History of the Château

Historical heritage

The 870 hectares of this AOC do not go beyond the district borders, where wine from a homogeneous geological block is produced. It is made of up large crystal granites that give the wine a touch of finesse and charm.

The Château de l’Abbaye de Saint Laurent d’Arpayé stretches over 10 hectares, 3 of which are planted with Fleurie. The vines are situated in front of the Château, which enjoys a breathtaking view over the Saône valley. A monastic property until the French revolution, this property bears witness to the influence of religious communities on Beaujolais viticulture. The Benedictine monks came to clear the Fleurie hill to plant vines at a height of 280 metres. They settled there and founded the Abbey of Saint Laurent d’Arpayé around the year 1000, the name of the monk who created this vineyard.

It is located at the foot of Les Chaffangeons, a hamlet that was already inhabited and where vines were grown. This abbey was attached to the very powerful Abbey of Cluny, which fell into decline from the 18th century onwards. Arpayé was then placed under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Mâcon and the monks were replaced by lay people. A religious crisis took hold at the Revolution. The priests deserted Fleurie, and then returned in 1791.

Following the Revolution, the assets of the Church and thus the Abbey were seized by the State. It served as security for assignats and passed into the hands of the buyers of national goods. Then from the 1st Empire and the Napoleon Code, this vineyard was parcelled out from generation to generation. It was finally purchased in 1904 by the Quinson family.

The value of the property was enhanced with the construction of the current Château over a magnificent cellar with typically Beaujolais barrels in which our best vintages are matured.

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