Tasted in Fleurie with Alexandra de Vazeilles Burtschy, 09 February 2023.
Château des Bachelards
69820 Fleurie
+33 9 81 49 47 00
www.bachelards.com
More reports with Château des Bachelards
As each year, Alexandra de Vazeilles prefers to show her finished wines, hence, we look at her 2020s. But first, the news…
I had heard the rumours – and for over 6 months – but before I could ask the question, ever direct, Alexandra raised the subject:
“I must tell you that I have sold the domaine…
“When I came to Fleurie to establish the domaine I really thought that would die here – I loved it so much and wine-making remains my passion. I had already planned (laughing!) a chair-lift that could get me up the stairs into the château when I couldn’t manage them by myself! Of course, that was before I met my husband, Bernard. I’m so proud of what I have achieved here but I’m recently 60 and Bernard is now 70 – we are both well, but none of us knows how much time we have and I decided that Bernard and I should enjoy the healthy time that we have together. We already have a new home near St.Emilion and Bernard is at home in Bordeaux.
“In terms of transition, I was asked to be the brand ambassador of my vintages, so this is the last time that we taste together. The new owner, Matthieu Gufflet is a French entrepreneur who created a major consulting firm as well as a new business comprised of vineyards and hospitality. In Lyon, he purchased the restaurant La Mère Brazier – two-star Michelin – and Château des Bachelards. The future of Bachelards is to become a small luxury hotel in the midst of its vines,” said Alexandra “but with no real time-scale as the château is still empty from what I can see.”
Alexandra on 2020:
“Never forget, it’s an extraordinary vintage – covid – no visitors. We could listen to the birds in the garden – but the vines gave everything – it was a dream vintage from a weather perspective and the first time the biodynamic vines passed 40 hl/ha – despite being old vines. It was a very early start in the vineyard and it was extra-special because when we needed wind we had it, when we needed rain we had it. Not the peaks of weather – the heat that we saw in 2019 – it was all ‘smooth.’”
The wines…
From obvious ‘promise’ to grand vins – it has been a fascinating ride following the progression of Bachelards under the Comtesse. It will be a shame not to see her at the château next year. Returning to the wines: I had assumed that 2019 may be peak Bachelards – my finest tasting of 350 in the last 12 months – but these 2020s suggest that might not be the case! They are a little more coy than the 2019s at the same time last year but despite their extra concentration of fruit – it is not overdone – the impressive fluidity of form remains. Comparing Alexandra’s 2019s with her 2020s will be such a great pleasure for the next 20 years – with luck (for me, her and Bernard) maybe even longer!
2020 Petite Fleur IGP
Usually a blend of the Fleurie and Lancié vines – Syrah/Gamay
Deep and smooth – a simmering partly hidden impression – such a coy aromatic today. Hmm – a fine blend of concentration but still with energy and almost fluidity. Very impressive wine.
Here is black granite, limestone and schist. The granite here is similar to that in Moulin à Vent. ‘I think this wine is really benefitting from getting the life back into the soils. I bought 0.26 ha of new vines in 2018, the life is slowly returning to those soils!
More open and vibrant – deep and high notes – subtly oaked complexity. Super freshness – I love this energy, this freshness – vibrant over the palate but with uncommon depth for such energy. Really a great St.Amour!
The signature of the oak is in bold characters here – there is some silk to the width of aroma. Wow – vibrant, fluid but also concentrated wine – the oak remains the principal theme today but this is simply wonderful over the palate with energy and a texture of velour. Very long and only very slowly fading – this will be another great wine – but wait 5 years to taste more of the wine and less of the elevage.
A very faint reduction – there is depth too – but like the first Fleurie, there is a coy, slightly compact aromatic expression today. Oh yes – concentrated yet cool, fluid and energetic – directly bravo! So impressive in the finish too!
Just starting the commercialization of the 2020s – at least the communications since November, bottled just before the 2022 harvest.
Again a coy, slightly tight nose – but showing both depth and interest. Here is a hint more muscle, similar fluidity of form and flavour, but an even more impressive texture. Slowly vibrating with energy in its considerable finish. A great wine and with extra textural class.
And something new:
Le Rouge Rosé
Made with Fleurie grapes – from a ’strong saignée – always to be kept in the fridge!’
There’s more colour here than for many 2021s. The nose is more open and a little savoury to start but with air it’s opening and becoming more and more interesting. Stilghtly touched by gas – but direct, mineral wine, not obviously a simple rosé – in a black glass – double-blind if you like – I might mistake this for a white! Such (excellent) fun!
Chardonnay, planted in 2015 in Lancié – the same soil of degraded pink granite as in Fleurie. ‘Tout en poésie – exotic fruit plenty of fat and much richness due to the soil – and with the young vines it has a nice balance – a nice masalle planting from a good maison’ Half barrel, half stainless elevage. ‘It’s not a downgraded version of something else – it’s true to where it comes from!’
Plenty of colour – still lemon-yellow. Very perfumed, a hint of the exotic but not too much. Hmm – that’s very silky, beautifully mobile, cool no rigour here. Lovely precision here. That’s one of those ultra-rare great BJB!
There is one response to “Château des Bachelards – 2020”
Really enjoyed reading these notes having tasted at Bachelards in January, confirmed some of my assumptions on the St Armour and Fleurie cuvées. Didn’t have a chance to try the Fleurie Le Clos, and they were still commercializing 2019, will need to seek out 2020 now that it is available. Sad to see the Comtesse leaving – wishing her the best. Thanks for the update, Bill!