THE ESTATE
Since 1843
Welcome to Viroylette!
The Viroylette estate is a family property located at a place called Le Vivier, in the town of Fleurie, in Beaujolais.
La Viroylette is above all a family and feminine adventure. Since the purchase of the first vines in 1843 by Jacques Hyppolite ROCHE, the estate has been passed down from woman to woman: Catherine, Fanny, Marthe, Hélène, and now Sabine have loved this house and these vines, taken care of them, and brought them to life, each in their own way.
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Today we operate around ten plots, spread between the Fleurie, Moulin-Ã -Vent and Beaujolais-Villages appellations. We collaborate with different winegrowers, as well as with the Fleurie cooperative cellar.
All our vines are certified High Environmental Value (HVE 3), and we are working on the organic transition of our plots with young winegrowers.
“At Viroylette, we love
the land and the good wine shared,
the hills of Beaujolais and the chapel of the Madonna,
picnics under our plane trees, and
the work that leads from the vineyard to the wine"
Our history
In 1843, Jacques Hyppolite ROCHE, a wine merchant in Beaujolais, bought a house, a winery and vines at a place called Le Vivier, in the town of Fleurie.
In 1875 he bequeathed the property to his daughter Catherine who, with her husband, would do much for its development.
Each generation will then do the same, leaving its mark on the La Viroylette estate.
2nd generation
In 1885, Catherine and Auguste Roybet received the silver medal at the Concours National Viticole de Mâcon for their results on planting grafted vines, in the context of the phyloxera crisis.
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We find them again in 1894, in the famous work by Messrs. Vermorel and Danguy on Beaujolais wines: their wines are rated "first class".
Photo taken by Auguste Roybet during the harvest in 1900
4th generation
In the foreground, Alphonse poses with the estate's winemaker during the 1946 harvest.
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Alphonse married Marthe in 1914. They inherited the estate in 1940, and planted Chardonnay vines in the 1950s to offer Marthe the white wine she loved.
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In the background, on the cart, is Hubert, son of Alphonse and brother of Hélène who will inherit the estate in 1980.
5th generation
Aunt Hélène, as she was known to everyone in the village, reigned over the estate for 38 years.
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She is at the origin of the name of the domain "la Viroylette", created from "Vial" - her last name, "Roybet" - the name of the 2nd generation who had done so much for the domain, and "la Roilette" - famous climate in Fleurie.
6th generation
Aunt Hélène passed the estate on to her goddaughter Sabine, daughter of Hubert whom you met above on the cart, in 2018.
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With her husband Alain, they undertook the renovation of the buildings, had the vines certified as High Environmental Value (HVE 3), and entrusted a young winemaker with the transition of certain plots to organic farming (AB).
On the left, a plot in transition to organic farming