Chénas

All the writings agree, Chénas owes its name from a forest of oaks('Chêne' in French) which covered formerly its hills.

The historian Baluze (17th century), speaks about capitulary of Charlemagne ordering the clearing of the country. Other sources announce that, following a royal decree gone back to 1316 (it thus emanated from Philippe V Length), the oaks of the mountain of Rémont were torn off to be replaced by the vine.

With which owes one the pulling up of the trees? Who made plant the vine? Charlemagne? Philippe V? Nothing is distinct. But nobody doubts, of the taste that had Louis XIII (1601 - 1643) for the wine of Chénas, one even says that it was the only wine which it accepted with his table.

In its " topography of all the vineyard know ", Andre Jullien (1st edition in 1816) quote in first class " Chénas, contiguous with Thorins, on the canton of Beaujeu... provide some wine of a beautiful color, more vigorous and more spirit that the Moulin à Vent. One can keep them three or four years out of barrels; put then in bottles, they acquire smoothness and perfume, and go hand in hand with the first vintages of Thorins... They are preserved strong a long time and support transport very well ".