More than 1,000 years have marked the history of Château de Poncié. Located on the hill of the same name, facing the Madone hill, it is one of the first feudal estates in Beaujolais and the first in Fleurie. Its history, its ecosystem and its traditions are still alive today thanks to the work and passion of our winemakers.
1,000 years of history in Fleurie
The story begins in 949...
The first written sources date back to 949, when the Poncié Estate was already renowned for the quality of its wines. The property was a gracious bequest from Teoza and Gosfredus to the Abbey of Cluny for the salvation of their souls.
In the 16th century, all the lands in the village of Fleurie, including the Poncié Estate, belonged to Duke Henri de Montpensier. After his death in 1602, he sold them to the Squire and Provost M. Perrachon de Senozan, who in turn sold them to the Squire and Lord Benoît de la Roche. It was the latter's son who came to own the land in the 1660s.
Deeply attached to the Estate, Claude II de la Roche renamed himself Claude II de la Roche-Poncié: his surname now bearing the name of the lands he owned.
At the same time, Fleurie welcomed two castles, one of which, Poncié, was used as a residence during the harvest, allowing direct access to the vines.
After several successions in the La Roche-Poncié family line,
the keys to the Château changed hands and history was reinvented.
A turning point in the Estate's history
In 1749, when she married, Marie Rossoline, daughter of a vassal of the King, bequeathed to her husband, Damas D'Audour, the lands of Poncié that she had inherited. Musketeer of King Louis XV, he was a cavalry captain, camp marshal, and lord of several territories.
From 1775 to 1828, the Château de Poncié belonged to the Counts of Pimpie de Granoux, a wealthy family of lords. At that time, its land consisted mainly of vineyards and meadows.
When Jean-Baptiste de la Pimpie de Granoux died, the Château was bequeathed to his brother. 2,100 bottles were found scattered throughout Beaujolais, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Paris during an inventory of his possessions.
Until 1880, the Château belonged to Adrien de Verdonnet, mayor of Fleurie and great-grandfather of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's fiancée. After his death, the Estate was auctioned off.
In 1884, Antonin Bouchard, wishing to expand his agricultural holdings, hesitated between the Clos Vougeot (one of the most famous wine estates in the world) and the Château de Poncié for a similar price. Allowing his heart to decide, he settled in Poncié and expanded the Estate by buying many surrounding parcels.
In 1957, the Société Civile du Château de Poncié was officially created.
History is being rewritten in the 21st century
In 2008, seduced by the unique quality of the terroir and the heritage of the Estate, the Henriot Group bought the property, keeping it under the viticultural management of Bouchard Père et Fils.
Since 2020, the Estate has been run by a new generation of winemakers. Committed to historical legacy, agroforestry, organic farming and pastoralism, the team passionately and respectfully cultivates the land of this millenary winery.
Today, Château de Poncié's ambition is to rediscover the excellence of the great Beaujolais wines. Wines whose subtlety, elegance and silky texture were once the hallmark of their reputation.
A true historical legacy, symbol of Fleurie in the Beaujolais.