Reviews
- James Suckling -
Technical Details
- Alexandra de Vazeilles
- France
- Burgundy
- Beaujolais
- Saint-Amour
- Biodynamic Practices
- 14%
Chateau des Bachelards Comtesse de Vazeilles Saint-Amour 2020
Biodynamic Practices
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Château des Bachelards is arguably the top house in a rejuvenated Beaujolais field, and this Saint-Amour delivers the goods! 93 points, under $30 with ground shipping on 3 or more bottles, and really in a happy place at the moment – if you haven’t experienced the wines of Alexandra de Vazeilles before – now is the time!/p>
Château des Bachelards is a legendary Beaujolais estate, first planted by the Cluny monks in the 11th century – right around the time they started planting in nearby Burgundy. The estate was managed by the Platet family for over 200 years, finally yielding in 2007. Soon after is when Alexandra de Vazeilles made her move. An avid lover of all things wine, she had both the standing and the passion to transform this once-great estate back into a veritable powerhouse capable of standing up against the very best of Burgundy and beyond. After stints in production at Château Latour and Domaine Roulout, she was ready to bring the acumen of Burgundian blending, with the power and elegance of top Bordeaux into her new estate.
Hers is the only Beaujolais Château with organic and biodynamic certifications across holdings in Fleurie, Moulin-à-vent, and Saint-Amour...and top-notch farming is just the beginning here. Throw in some sage winemaking advice from Stephane Derenoncourt (Pavie-Macquin, Smith Haut Lafitte, La Massa, Domaine de Chevalier, and more) – described by Decanter as "...one of the world's most sought-after consultants", and you have a recipe for something truly special! Pinot-ish in weight, but SO much more. Delightfully floral, fruit-packed, spicy, and utterly wonderful to drink – wow! Peonies and lavender, red currants, pomegranate, cranberry tea, with roasted herbs, graphite, crumbled granite, and tingly Szechuan peppercorns on the finish – this is a layered and remarkable wine with velvety tannins, and plenty of structure to age for decades yet!
The fruit hails from gnarled 60-110+-year-old vines that consistently make the top-rated gamays of the region every single year. If you love the elegance and complexity of Burgundy, with the spice and persistence of Northern Rhone, this is something you need to try. All for less than an entry level Bourgogne Rouge!
PAIRING IDEAS: Tis the season for a proper roast goose! The light gamey-ness, the accompaniment of a panoply of roasted herbs, maybe a lacquer of some orange and honey...and this will bring it all home!
About The Producer
Like Burgundy, Les Bachelards owes its existence to the Benedictine monks. The monks of the abbey of Cluny, created the sister abbey of Arpaye and chose to plant the vineyards in the place called Les Bachelards. The original house was destroyed during the revolution. The Platet family bought the house and its vineyards and were the sole owners from 1793-2007. During this long period, the Chateau is ranked among the best estates in the region due to its spectacular terroir. The vineyards have not been uprooted since Phylloxera and the age range is 60-100 years old. Since 2007, the vineyards have been organically farmed and in 2015 the vineyards received the demeter certificate for biodynamic farming. In 2014, the estate was acquired by Alexandra de Vazeilles and is producing gamay and chardonnay wines of extraordinary quality. She produces wines from Fleuries, Saint-Amour, Moulin-a-Vent, IGT Comtes Rhodaniens and whites from Pouilly-Vinzelles appellation.