Le Caveau du Château

A unique spot in the heart of the Côte-Rôtie vineyards dedicated to the great wines of the Rhône Valley, to its culture, heritage and ephemeral gastronomy.

The Caveau du Château in Ampuis offers an amazing experience of the world of wine. This remarkable space is dedicated to wine lovers and to anyone interested in learning about the history and heritage of this winegrowing region which is over 2,000 years old. You can taste and buy wines from the greatest appellations of the Rhône Valley including Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape amongst others. Also, there is a museum with ancient objects from the Guigal family’s personal collection which tell the history of wine, the vine and the art of barrel making.

A convivial space to discover and share the passion which has motivated the Guigal family to produce exceptional wines for so many years.

A building called "Clos Joly"

3 storeys

Dedicated to wine tourism

When you enter Le Caveau du Château you are entering a sanctuary dedicated to viticulture and wine making. Experience the modern and the traditional along with the conviviality which lie at the heart of the great vineyards of the Rhône Valley and discover its emblematic appellations.

XIXthcentury

A prestigious XIXth century dwelling

Named after its previous owners, the Demoiselles Joly was bought by the Vidal family at the turn of the XXth century. The Guigal family purchased it in the 1980’s and it was renamed as the Caveau du Château following renovation work between 2017 and 2019.

Le Caveau du Château, Ampuis

Le Caveau du Château in Ampuis, the history

Named the “Clos Joly” this building at the entrance of Ampuis was built in 1892. It is difficult to retrace its history as only a handful of the older generation share some knowledge about it. However, it does seem that it was named after its owners in the XIXth century, the Joly ladies.

It was bought at the beginning of the XXth century by the Vidal family and used by Joseph Vidal and his wife Jeannette as a holiday home. During this period the gardens were inhabited by several peacocks belonging to Mrs Vidal.

The place was then used to house harvesters and vats for vinifying Côte-Rôtie and other wines from the Rhône Valley. At the beginning of the last century the Vidal family owned several vineyards and already enjoyed a reputation for the quality of their wines.

In the ‘30’s Marcel’s father and Philippe’s grandfather, Etienne Guigal was involved in building the reputation of the property; in the first few years of his employment with the Vidal family he planted the trees in the gardens. Some of the cedars he planted can still be admired today on the property.

In the ‘80’s the Guigal family acquired this property as part of their purchase of Vidal-Fleury and it was a natural choice to select this building when they began studies to build a vault. What could make more sense than to establish their tasting cellars in one of the most stunning residences in Ampuis, previously owned by the Vidal family and home to some of the first trees planted by Etienne Guigal.

Today, a unique space in the Rhône Valley dedicated to wine tourism

Tasting Room

Le Caveau du Château provides a space which is dedicated to wine tourism. Visitors can enjoy an experience which combines wine, culture, history and ephemeral gastronomy.

From the outset, visitors are plunged into a welcoming universe of history and the tales it tells.

You can experience a wide variety of aromas and the individual personalities of the wines of 4 of the Rhône Valley’s great domains – Maison Guigal, Château de Nalys, Maison Vidal-Fleury and Domaine de Bonserine.

In the intimate vaulted room visitors can discover the exceptional wines from these prestigious estates.

Find out about the various tastings on offer!

The museum

The tour continues in the museum of Le Caveau du Château where numerous exhibits retrace the history of viticulture, winemaking and the art of barrel making through the centuries. The tour culminates with a stunning collection of ancient treasures illustrating how wine was served in that era.

Seminars, conventions...

A 130m² conference room only a few kilometres from Lyon and Saint-Etienne can be adapted to specific requirements for groups of up to 90 people.
Our room “Oenologie” is designed for themed tastings or food and wine events.

Events

The team at Le Caveau du Château organises regular events around wine as well as cultural and artistic events in partnership with Vienne theatre, the Vienne-Condrieu Tourist Board, local artist and chefs etc.

Discover 4 Great Houses of the Rhône Valley:
La Maison Guigal, Le Château de Nalys, La Maison Vidal-Fleury, the Domaine de Bonserine