n the 13th century, on the site of today's castle stood a fortified house belonging to the lord of Beaujeu. In the 15th century it

became the property of the dukes of Bourbon-Montpensier who neglected it. Consequently investigators sent by the dukes wrote in 1602 "your lord's castle is in ruins".
The present north part was rebuilt in the late 16th. A medallion bears the date 1582 and the inscription "SPES MEA DEUS" (Dieu mon espoir).
© Richard Bonin

Claude Janin bought this property. In the early 18th century he had the vat-room and the chapel (now disued) built on the west side and the living quarters to the east... Claude Janin's descendants kept the castle until 1907.
n 1907 the property was bought by Claude Condemine who completely restored it. Four generations later, the
estate is being run by Thierry Condemine. It now includes 35 hectares of vines producing Juliénas wine. The vines are all located around the Château and benefit from a good southern/south-eastern exposure on granitic soil. The grapes are hand-picked and the wine is produced in a traditional way. It is then matured for 7 to 8 months in wooden casks until it is bottled.
The only grape variety is the white-juiced black Gamay. The wine is produced at the Château in thermoregulation stainless-steel vats, thanks to modern equipment and the most sophisticated œnological techniques.
The wine is powerful and robust, dark red and full of berry aromas. After a few years in bottle it will develop its agreeable and well-balanced tannins. It can be drunk allthrough the meal and suits poultry, meats in sauces, game and cheese.
ur vineyard is planted with one variety of grapes : the white-juiced black Gamay (see below) and our
Château has the Juliénas appellation. The wine is growing on a schist and granite soil with seams of clay on the 35 ha (90 acres) estate (see right).
© Richard Bonin
ur vines are 42 years old on average. With 10,000 vine stocks per hectare the yield is 58 hectolitres per ha.
According to local regulations the vines are pruned "en gobelet" (see below).
e have always picked up the grapes by hand so as to preserve the quality of the berries.
lThe vines face south-east and south-west and the benefit from a long periods of sunshine. This good exposure helps increase the sugar content wich will reach an alcohol level of 13 percent per volume once the fermentation is completed.
he wine is produced traditionally in thermoregulation stainless-steel vats. The harvest is heated in order to
increase the concentration. Then the wine goes into vats lined with enamel or wooden casks in order to mature for 7 months before bottling.
he wine has been bottled at the Château for 30 years. Every year 55,000 bottles leave the property
for the cellars of customers or restaurants where they can be laid down for 3 to 5 years to reach maturity.
© Richard Bonin