Château des Bachelards : Fleurie 2022

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Fleurie 2022 Château des Bachelards

Tasting notes

Colour
With a deep garnet hue, this red wine shines with remarkable clarity.

Nose
Elegant and expressive, the bouquet exudes subtle floral aromas of peony and violet, enhanced by spicy notes of white pepper and clove. With aeration, it gains in complexity, revealing ripe red fruit aromas and a delicate mineral thread.

Palate
The palate is seductive with its grace and airy character. The attack reveals a silky texture and refined tannins that support a beautiful density. The palate unfolds flavours of fresh black berries, such as blackberry and blueberry, perfectly integrated with balanced acidity and a minerality typical of its terroir. The finish stands out for its exceptional length.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs beautifully with delicate dishes such as monkfish medallions with lime, pike quenelles, beef tartare with capers, or Provençal vegetables.

Service and storage

While it already offers great pleasure when tasted after prior aeration in the glass, this 2022 vintage has remarkable ageing potential and can be cellared until at least 2042.

Other characteristics

This wine has been praised by international critics, notably earning a score of 95/100 from Stuart Pigott for James Suckling.

The elegance and minerality of a Fleurie wine from a singular terroir

The estate

Founded around 1100 by Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Cluny, Château des Bachelards is a historic figure of Beaujolais. This 12-hectare estate stands out for its pioneering approach to biodynamic viticulture in the region. Today, Matthieu Gufflet is the owner and majority shareholder of the estate, while Alexandra de Vazeilles continues to oversee its overall management and winemaking. With its triple organic and biodynamic certification, the estate combines respect for biodiversity, wine tourism, and a quest for excellence to produce cuvées of remarkable identity.

The vineyard

Located within the Fleurie appellation, the vineyard is rooted in a terroir of fine-grained pink granite and, unusually for the region, veins of blue clay. The vines, ranging from 60 to over 100 years old and derived from massale selection, are planted at a very high density. The estate follows biodynamic principles, fostering biodiversity through agroforestry, sheep, and beehives, while maintaining very low yields to ensure optimal grape concentration.

The vintage

The year 2022 was marked by extreme weather, with a particularly hot and dry summer. After a contrasting winter and a mild spring that favoured even flowering, the vines had to contend with scorching temperatures and intense summer sunshine. Despite these dry conditions and a few hailstorms in the region, the notably early harvest yielded highly concentrated berries, resulting in remarkable balance.

Winemaking and ageing

The hand-harvested grapes are transported by gravity, then fully destemmed. Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, accompanied by a long 28-day maceration. Ageing then continues for 22 months in large neutral wood containers (foudres and demi-muids) to preserve the purity of the fruit and the expression of the terroir.

Grape variety

Gamay (100%).