Driving north on the D31 through Gevrey-Chambertin, as you near the intersection with the D974, you may easily overlook a modest single-story building on your right. Once the village post office since the reign of Louis XIV until well into the twentieth century, this unassuming structure underwent a transformation. It was repurposed as a cuverie by Denis Bachelet’s grandfather, who utilized it until his retirement in 1973.
Denis himself, born in Belgium in 1963, would visit his grandparents in Gevrey during school holidays and became captivated by the allure of the vine. To the delight of his grandparents, Denis relocated to Gevrey and produced his first vintage in 1981, assuming full control of his patrimony in 1983 at the age of 20. He swiftly rose to prominence. Today, alongside his son Nicholas, Denis Bachelet commands a towering reputation that belies the minuscule size of the 4.3-hectare estate. Following organic and biodynamic principles, the Bachelets craft some of the top wines of the appellation.
As befits a great domaine, there is a solid base in superb vineyards, which are well-situated, prudently farmed, and are comprised of remarkably old vines: all together 4.28 hectares. Bachelet’s signature wines, the Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin (.43 ha.) and the Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux (.42 ha.), both come from vines dating back to 1907-1917. The lieux-dit Les Evocelles, acquired in 2011, consists of 17 ares of vines planted between 1961 and 1969. The villages-level Gevrey-Chambertin (1.43 ha.) comes from vineyards planted between 1932 and 1937, and situated in lieux-dits En Dérée, Sylvie, Les Jeunes Rois, La Burie and La Justice. The Côte-de-Nuits villages (1.04 ha.) vines mostly dates back to 1952, but also include a 9 are parcel in the lieux-dit Créole in Brochon, which was planted in the early 1900’s. Remarkably, even Bachelet’s Bougogne Rouge (.61 ha.) and his Aligoté (.19 ha.) are old vine, being planted, respectively, in 1977 and 1987.
Despite his soft-spoken, gracious demeanor, Denis Bachelet’s reputation as a winemaker is anything but understated. Part of his cult-like renown may be attributed to the scarcity of wines produced by the domaine’s 80- to 110-year-old vines. However, the true essence of the Bachelet preeminence lies in the incomparable quality of their wine. As Clive Coates has eloquently expressed, “The Denis Bachelet style produces wines of intensity, great elegance, and subtlety, feminine in the best sense. They are concentrated, harmonious, pure, and understated.”
As befits a great domaine, the foundation lies in superb vineyards, strategically situated and meticulously farmed, boasting remarkably old vines averaging over a century in age. Naturally low yields, owing to the vines’ advanced age, are further controlled through green harvesting of any vines that appear overly productive. Harvest time sees strict triage in the vineyards followed by scrupulous sorting on a vibrating table in the cuverie.
Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are completely destemmed, lightly crushed, and then subjected to cold maceration in cement vats at 15°C for 5 or 6 days. Natural yeasts initiate fermentation, which may last up to two weeks, with temperature carefully regulated below 32°C. Punch-downs occur once or twice daily, while pump-overs are employed only sparingly. Following fermentation and gentle pressing in a pneumatic press, the juice is settled in stainless steel tanks to clarify for up to a week before transfer to barrels. Cooling to 13°C is employed to delay malolactic conversion, preserving freshness well into the aging process.
Denis Bachelet employs a judicious oak regimen, typically utilizing 25% new oak for village-level wines and increasing to 35% for Premier and Grand Crus. Barrels, crafted by tonnellerie Meyrieux, utilize Allier oak for Charmes-Chambertin and Vosges oak for village and Premier Cru wines. After 15 to 18 months of aging, the wine is bottled by hand without filtration, a testament to the meticulous care and craftsmanship that define Domaine Denis Bachelet.
