Located at the southernmost tip of wine-producing Burgundy, the famed Chateau de Varennes is in the commune of Quincie en Beaujolais, north of Lyon. This 11th-century castle followed the fortune of its owners: it was modest and humble under the Villion family in the 13th century, rich and magnificent in the time of the Lords of Beaujeu (14th century). Then various owners ensued. Since 1809, members of the Charveriat family have owned the castle and cultivated the estate’s vines.
Like throughout the entire Beaujolais region, the Gamay grape is king, capable of subtle expressions when planted in granite and silica-based terroirs. The vineyards cover the hillsides surrounding the castle and face due south, which provides optimal conditions for the ripening of the grapes so that they express all of the characteristic red berry fruitiness of Gamay.