The founders were pioneers of the natural winemaking movement in Beaujolais, strongly influenced by the ideas of chemist and oenologist Jules Chauvet.
Château Cambon in Beaujolais is the result of a vision that took shape in the 1990s. In 1995, Marcel and Marie Lapierre of Domaine Lapierre, together with Jean-Claude Chanudet of Domaine Chamonard, acquired a small but promising estate located between the Crus of Morgon and Brouilly. Though outside the official Grand Cru zones, it stands out thanks to its exceptional terroirs. The vineyard plots, including one planted as early as 1914, are rooted in granitic clay and limestone soils that vividly express the mineral nature of the land.
From the very beginning, the estate has been deeply committed to natural viticulture. The founders were pioneers of the natural winemaking movement in Beaujolais, strongly influenced by the ideas of chemist and oenologist Jules Chauvet. Pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers are avoided. Instead, fermentation is driven by native yeasts, and sulfur is used minimally or not at all. Vinification follows traditional local methods, using whole-cluster fermentation in large old oak vats (foudres) and semi-carbonic maceration—an approach especially well-suited to Gamay, and also effective with Chardonnay.
After Marcel Lapierre passed away in 2010, his wife Marie took over management of the estate. In 2022, Alexandre Iwasuila joined the leadership, taking responsibility for preserving the winery’s philosophy and stylistic vision. The unmistakable character of the wines—marked by fruit, lightness, freshness, and delicate minerality—captures the spirit of Beaujolais as once championed by the Lapierres.
Though Château Cambon does not hold an official Cru designation, it consistently delivers wines of depth and approachability that convey varietal purity and terroir expression in a playful, natural style. Yields are kept low and production is intentionally limited. The rare “Le Cambon” cuvée, produced from century-old vines planted in 1914, underscores the authenticity and complexity of the estate’s wines. Unfiltered, aged on the lees, and expressing a clear and elegant profile, even whites like the Beaujolais Blanc offer both strength and finesse.
