1927 An history ofwomen

Blessed with a true spirit of co-operation, the women of Fleurie are at the origins of the cellar...

During WWI, when the men went to war, the women had to deal with the lack of ‘man-power' and do the work in the vines. As they were having to make important decisions and use their authority all the time, they found their true selves and gained in self-confidence.They had become an integral part of the working of the wine estate and were used to helping each other during this difficult period, so it is naturally the women who were the initiators of co-operation in the village of Fleurie.It was on 26th June 1927 that the first constitutive meeting was held. This marked the beginning of a pooling of resources and a collective sale of grapes was set up for the first time. In 1932, the need to have vinification equipment and wine storage facilities on the same site brought about the construction of our buildings (see photos).

1946-1984 The "Présidente"
Marguerite : "The Queen
of Beaujolais"

From 1932, the Cave de Fleurie was presided by members of the Chabert family. It is, without a doubt, Marguerite Chabert who will remain in everyone's memory.

This extraordinary woman was born in 1899. Extremely competent, Marguerite Chabert took the reigns of the Cave de Fleurie in 1946. She held the responsibility for it for nearly 40 years, without ever failing in the development of its structure. As the first woman president of a wine co-operative in France, her strong personality meant that she was able to impose ideas in a domaine that was mainly masculine with a distinct tendency towards the chauvinist! She was blunt in her convictions, and was particularly tenacious and had a lot of fight in her, particularly when it concerned the defence of Fleurie.On 10th July 1975, she was awarded the Légion d'Honneur. And when she died, on 30th April 1992, there was great sadness in the viticultural world. To honour her, two cuvées are named after her. The one called Présidente Marguerite Subtil, is delicate and embodies her refined spirit. The cuvée called Intense has more structure and is a reminder of her strength of character.

Giving life to the fleuriewe love today

For wines that boast a wealth of feminity and personality, that are sure to seduce you.

The Cave de Fleurie has long been recognised for the quality of its wines. Behind this are the care given by the member-vinegrowers and the resolution of the directors together with a modern production tool. Today, the directors of the cellar have set out a quality and traceability policy for the wines to be able to mirror their terroirs; each year giving pleasure and personality. This internet site takes you on a tour of The Cave de Fleurie's ethic today...