Opening hours and tickets
- Tasting room hours
- 1 April to 31 October: every day, 10:00 to 18:30
- 1 November to 31 March: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 18:00
- Booking
- Recommended
Checked on on the official site.
Château de la Crée
A 19th-century wine manor in Santenay-le-Haut, above cellars from the time of Nicolas Rolin.
- Wine château
- 25 min from Beaune
- Tastings on site, all year
- 19th century, on 15th-century cellars
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Santenay · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- 19th-century wine manor
- Official website
- la-cree.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 25 min by road (22 km), €95 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The Château de la Crée stands in Santenay-le-Haut, the upper part of the village, at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune. The house was rebuilt in the 19th century over vaulted cellars from the 15th. Since 2015 it has belonged to an American wine family, and it welcomes visitors for tastings and wine experiences.
History
In the 15th century the estate was among the lands of Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone de Salins, the founders of the Hospices de Beaune. Wine was already made here, and the vaulted cellars date from around 1431. During the Revolution the château was looted and destroyed, and its lands were broken up.
The château was rebuilt in the 19th century as a wine manor. In April 2015 it was bought by Ken and Grace Evenstad, founders of Domaine Serene in Oregon, who had long hoped to make wine in Burgundy. The estate now farms just over 10 hectares, about 7 of Pinot Noir and 3 of Chardonnay, in Santenay, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and other villages.
Architecture
The château is a 19th-century wine manor in the upper village, built after the Revolution on the site of the older house. Its great asset lies below ground: vaulted cellars of the 15th century, used today for ageing and tasting the estate's wines. The setting on the slopes of Santenay-le-Haut looks over the vineyards of the southern Côte de Beaune.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The Château de la Crée offers visits of the château, its Clos du Château vineyard and its 15th-century vaulted cellars, ending with a tasting of six wines. Other experiences add a private tour of its vineyards in Santenay or along the Côte de Beaune, with pick-up from your hotel in Beaune, and the Beaune tourist office sells picnic and horseback outings in the vines. All visits are booked in advance. Check the official website for booking.
Around here
What to combine with Château de la Crée on the same day, nearest first.
- Nature and viewpoint
Mont de Sène (Hill of the Three Crosses) Mont de Sène (Montagne des Trois Croix)
1 km away
Questions
Château de la Crée is about 25 min from Beaune by road (22 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €95 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The cellars go back to about 1431, when the estate belonged to Nicolas Rolin, the chancellor who founded the Hospices de Beaune in 1443.
Sources
Château de la Crée with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests