When it comes to Beaujolais of breadth and substance the wines from the tiny appellation of Chénas lie behind only Moulin-à-Vent. Situated on the slopes above the latter, in the far north of the region south of Juliénas, Chénas is named after the village of the same name, which rather ironically lies in the Moulin-à-Vent appellation. This village, in turn, got its name from chêne, the French for ‘oak’, after the trees that used to occupy the area.

With just 285ha of vineyards, Chénas produces weighty wines that are full, generous and, at their best, seductively rich. Some producers oak-age their wines, others don’t, but both styles can be equally successful. Most Chénas is at its best in its first 5 years but the finer vins de garde can easily age over a decade.