Pierreclos is a destination for travellers who want to explore winegrowing not only through tastings, but also as a subject of landscape and history. The Château de Pierreclos brings these themes together, while Poterie La Luciole adds its own dimension with pottery. When choosing what to do locally, it is worth distinguishing between a group tasting and a tasting workshop: both take place at the château, but each has a different focus.

Wine Country and Château

Pierreclos lies in a valley in the heart of the Mâconnais hills. Vineyards and wine estates stretch across the surrounding slopes. The Château de Pierreclos stands on a rocky spur planted with vines, where wine has been grown since the 6th century. It is a historic, family-run wine estate and one of Burgundy’s oldest vineyards. The surrounding slopes and the rocky spur show winegrowing from different spatial perspectives: as part of the landscape and as the history of winegrowing at the château’s site. The château lies on Burgundy’s wine route and in the Vallée de la gastronomie area. These tourist route connections may evolve; if you include them in your travel plans, check their current status.

Tastings at the Château

Group tastings at the Château de Pierreclos feature wines from the Mâcon, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Fuissé and Bourgogne Pinot noir appellations. The tasting workshop adds a historical dimension: a 15-minute introduction to the history of the château and wine estate is followed by a wine tasting in the 13th-century cellar and a visit to the historic cellars. The group tasting focuses on the four appellations listed above; the workshop combines the tasting with château history and a cellar visit. If you are mainly interested in learning about the wine appellations, the group tasting is a good fit. The workshop is suitable if you would also like to explore the historic setting.

Local History and Pottery

Under the Ancien Régime, the history of Pierreclos was closely tied to that of the Château de Pierreclos. One historical interpretation also describes Pierreclos as a former necropolis dedicated to the leading men of this Roman province. Thus, an account of its Roman past sits alongside the later close connection between the village and the château.

At Poterie La Luciole, the focus is on pottery rather than wine. Visitors can meet Lucinda and Pascal and learn about their passion for pottery. Poterie La Luciole offers workshops for adults and children, and its boutique is also open to visitors. This gives you an independent craft experience to set alongside the wine and history at the château.

Accessibility at the Château

The grounds of the Château de Pierreclos are accessible to visitors with mobility impairments, but do not carry the “Tourisme & Handicap” label. If accessibility is important to your plans, check the specific visitor routes before your trip. This is particularly relevant if you are also considering the tasting workshop, which includes a visit to the historic cellars.

Discover more destinations: Montret, Palinges, Sampigny-Lès-Maranges, Fuissé, Montmelard, Fontaines, Saint-Maurice-De-Satonnay, Montcenis

For the broader travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.