Log in for prices and ordering

Domaine Bachelet-Monnot

Remarkable Class and Incredible Value from “A Domaine at the Very Forefront of White Burgundy” [Jasper Morris]

It has been a very long time since the wine world has had an outstanding new Puligny domaine emerge from the Côte d’Or firmament. Thanks to the Bachelet brothers, we now do. Marc and Alexandre Bachelet not only have Puligny holdings where they are fast establishing themselves as a benchmark, they also make delicious Santenay and are setting new quality standards in their home turf of Maranges, an appellation rarely sighted on our shores. 

Bachelet-Monnot was only formed in 2005 from a combination of family vineyards and long term leases. Today, all of the family’s vineyards, including those of Domaine Bernard Bachelet et Fils, have been consolidated and are now being farmed under the one roof. While the vast majority of their vines are family-owned, the Bachelet’s have also retained a few notable parcels in Puligny and Chassagne under long-term contract. 

In all the brothers farm 23-hectre with the white holdings featuring a stunning Bourgogne from Puligny (30 feet from the edge of the AOC), some very well situated, old vine villages, small holdings in both Les Folatières and Les Referts and a tiny plot of Bâtard-Montrachet from that vineyard’s coolest upper reaches. The red wines, include a Bourgogne Rouge from declassified village sites, two Maranges 1er Cru; Clos de la Boutière and La Fussière and an old vine parcel in Santenay Les Charmes.

Brothers Mark and Alexandre preside over a superb portfolio of serious, structured whites and demonstrative, pleasure-bent reds.” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

Bachelet-Monnot’s intense Puligny-based whites radiate a youthful exuberance, a powerful and shimmering freshness, salty minerality and fabulous precision. Our only advice would be: If you can find them, buy them.  For years we have been beating the drum for this grower’s beautifully expressive red wines—these are arguably the best value collection of red Burgundies we ship. Maranges and Santenay may not be names that roll off the tongue in the same way Gevrey, Vosne and Chambolle do. However, it is fascinating to see what a new pair of well-travelled eyes, an innate understanding of each vineyard’s terroir and instinctive winegrowing talent can produce, regardless of whether the vineyards have famous monikers. And, when a producer lavishes that same care and attention on his Bourgogne Rouge as his Bâtard-Montrachet, you can expect to taste some pretty amazing values.

In the vines, the Bachelet brothers adopt an unforced, labour-intensive approach to achieve their goals of naturally balanced and precise wines. All soils are ploughed, herbicides are eschewed, and strict de-budding is carried out to moderate yields. All grapes are hand-picked at optimum ripeness.

In terms of the winemaking, for the whites, the grapes are crushed before pressing and the juice ferments wild without settling. Maturation is in 350-litre barrels, with between 15 and 25% new wood and the wines spend their second winter in tank before bottling. For the reds, again, new oak is used sparingly. As Jasper Morris notes in Inside Burgundy, there is “no more cold maceration, a bit less sulphur, shorter vatting time with a few whole bunches. In short, a relaxation of control in order to allow more expression”. Apart from the Clos de la Boutière and Santenay Vieilles Vignes which are destemmed, there reds are fermented with between 15 and 30% whole bunches, depending on the terroir.

Once you’ve encountered the tunes of the Bachelet Boys, it’s very hard to forget them. Unfortunately, other importers from other markets have also cottoned on to the immaculate quality here, so we don’t get anywhere near the volumes we would like. Please contact your account manager if you are interested in an allocation. 

Currently Available

Bachelet-Monnot Pommard 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Pommard 2022

This is from the brothers’ vines in Chanlins, a village lieu-dit that lies just above the 1er Cru of the same name on the Volnay border. The 0.25-hectare parcel of 40-year-old vines comes from Alex and Marc Bachelet’s father, who sold the fruit to négociants until 2011. At 400 metres, it’s one of the highest and steepest vineyards of the Côte de Beaune, which, along with the stony, chalk-rich soils, results in a pretty and mid-weighted ‘Volnay expression’ of Pommard. There is also a portion of fruit from recently replanted vines in La Vache. The wine fermented with 50% bunches and was raised with 30% new oak barrels. 

“Deep-mid ruby. Round red fruits with a touch of darker cassis. There’s some zesty citrus in there as well as a tell-tale ferrous touch – it’s Pommard after all. Fresh acidity. Despite the Pommard label, there is great openness and freshness. No heavy hand.”
Matthew Hayes, jancisrobinson.com
“From Chanlins and La Vache, the latter now back in the blend after having had to be replanted. A powerful purple colour. 50% whole bunches, which are not especially evident on the nose. The ripe fruit is given a lift though, while some Pommard tannins build the structure at the back. A wine of some substance and ageing ability.”
88-90 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Pommard 2022
Bachelet-Monnot Bourgogne Rouge 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Bourgogne Rouge 2022

This bright and juicy Bourgogne was drawn from three parcels. One-third comes from a parcel of old-vine Pinot Fin in the Hautes-Côtes, another third from vines in Maranges (village level) and the remainder from a Bourgogne parcel on the edge of Puligny-Montrachet. The Puligny component brings perfume, the Maranges brings depth of fruit, and the Hautes-Côtes brings structure and high-toned perfume. The age of these sites is seriously impressive for a red of this level, with 60-, 70- and 80-year-old vines in the mix. This fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks, with some new barrels used in the maturation this year. 20% whole bunch and 20% new oak. One year in wood and six months in tank. 

“The 2022 Bourgogne Rouge includes around 25% whole bunches. The bouquet offers red cherries and strawberry fruit, just a little earthy in style. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins. It’s a strict and slightly austere Bourgogne Rouge that will deserve a year in bottle.”
85-87 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“One third each from below Puligny, old vine Hautes Côtes and some village Maranges. Bright mid purple, juicy raspberry fruit, the racking has opened the wines out says Alex. An easily accessible delight.”
87-89 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Bourgogne Rouge 2022
Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Prarons Dessus 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Prarons Dessus 2022

Les Prarons Dessus is one of Santenay’s northernmost vineyards, adjacent to Chassagne 1er Cru Morgeot and just beneath Clos de Tavannes. The chalky soils here are rich in red clay, which, combined with the old vines, gives a darker, rounder Santenay with more flesh and finer tannins. This incorporates one-third whole bunches, and the wine was raised in traditional 228-litre barrels (20% new). Incredibly fine, this is more ‘Chambolle’ in style when compared to the ‘Gevrey’ style of the Charmes.   

“The 2022 Santenay Les Prarons-Dessus has an enticing bouquet, the 30% whole bunches discrete and enmeshed, raspberry and wild strawberry mixed with light lavender aromas. The medium-bodied palate has a sapid entry, but it feels quite pliant with black pepper and clove towards the finish. Quite "solid" at the moment; give this a few months to settle once in bottle. Very fine.”
89-91 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“Not quite so deep in colour, more ruby crimson than purple. The bouquet is elegant, floral, with fresh red berries. After this accessible entry, the wine firms up a little on the palate, with a crunchy finish. All aspects are nicely in equilibrium.”
88-90 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Prarons Dessus 2022
Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Charmes Dessus 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Charmes Dessus 2022

Les Charmes Dessus is a site just under the Clos Rousseau 1er Cru on the southeastern slopes of Santenay. While it’s reasonably close to Clos de la Boutière, the terroir is markedly different. Here, the red clay and rocky limestone soils produce aromatic, racy reds of great finesse and freshness. To put it another way, this vineyard is often referred to as a ‘white terroir’, and Marc Bachelet tells us this site always delivers the best acidity in the reds, regardless of the year. From half a hectare of 50-year-old vines, it fermented with roughly 25% bunches. This is super: fleshy with oodles of plummy and anise-scented fruit leading to a long, powdery close. 

“More purple than ruby. Quite an elegant bouquet, red berry and cherry elements. Red soil, more limestone than clay, on the rocks. Good acidity without much depth is typical. Slightly lighter bodied than Prarons with a racy red fruit, elegance too. Not obviously in the style of a ‘Charmes’ vineyard, but delicious.”
87-90 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Charmes Dessus 2022
Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots 2022

This is the Bachelets’ first release from this highly regarded 1er Cru, which is a continuation of Santenay’s Clos Rousseau. The family has owned vines here for decades, though the parcel was too small to vinify separately; this fruit was previously blended into the village wines. From 2022, they have a new fermage agreement in place, taking the total surface to just over half a hectare, so a single cuvée is possible. The vineyard has a band of hard limestone under brown marl soils. The brothers experimented with 100% bunches this year, and zero sulphur was added until racking. The experiment was more than successful! It’s an intensely floral, seductive red with a delicious creamy texture and fine tannins. Again, next-level for the appellation and another bargain. 

“The tightly wound black fruited bouquet unfolds in the glass with white pepper and a touch of bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins, quite compact at the moment with a grippy finish suggesting that it will require 3-4 years in bottle.”
90-92 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“A fine dark purple in colour. The bouquet has an exceptional energy, the vibrant dark berry fruit completely filling the palate. Spice and white pepper at the back, giving a drier note to the otherwise sweet fruit, then a whole cherry perfume right at the finish. Entrancing.”
89-91 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots 2022
Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière Rouge 2022

Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière Rouge 2022

La Fussière is the largest climat of Maranges (at the very south of the Côte de Beaune, next to Santenay), covering an area of almost 35 hectares. It faces south towards the start of the Côte Chalonnaise, on a slope at an altitude between 290 and 400 metres. With the addition of a new parcel in 2020, the Bachelet vines cover three hectares with an average age of 60 years. This cuvée comprises 11 parcels. This wine spent about 12 months in used casks and was then racked to cement vats, where it rested for roughly six months. The Bachelet aim has always been to craft finer, more aromatic reds from the Côte’s southern reaches, and this limestone-rich site has helped further this aim. 30% whole bunches helps as well. In addition to the reviews below, Jasper Morris opines: “If you don’t know or don’t rate Maranges, this wine is the wake-up call.” Hear, hear! A gorgeous wine that in today’s Burgundy—and bear in mind that this is Burgundy 1er Cru—represents brilliant value! 

“The 2022 Maranges Rouge La Fussières 1er Cru is a blend of several cuvées with different proportions of whole bunches, averaging around 30%. It has more nuance on the nose than the Vieilles Vignes; the stems are neatly incorporated. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry that gets the saliva flowing. With chalky tannins, quite firm structure and a hint of licorice on the finish, this Maranges deserves 3 or 4 years in bottle.”
90-92 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“There is enough fruit to make several tanks of La Fussière with different levels of whole bunch vinification which are then blended. A glowing mid to deep purple. The bouquet has a depth of dark raspberry fruit, with a little strawberry as well. Quite an interesting wave of fruit through the palate, a fresher style of red berry, but nuanced and with good length. Some pepper to conclude.”
89-91 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière Rouge 2022
Show All

AT-A-GLANCE

• Domaine Bachelet-Monnot is a Côte de Beaune estate founded in 2005 by brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet.

• They farm 23 hectares of vines across several appellations, most significantly in Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Santenay and Maranges.

• Viticulture is organic in practice, and yields are strictly controlled.

• For the whites (about 60% of production), vinification takes place in barrels, the use of new oak is sparing, and the style is racy, mineral, generous and complex.

• For the reds, which represent some of the best-value red Burgundies we ship, bunch percentages vary from 0-30%, new oak is used sparingly, and the style is perfumed and potent with a satiny texture.

• The wines of Domaine Bechelet-Monnot are sold on allocation.

IN THE PRESS

“What can I say apart from every year these boys slam-dunk another raft of outstanding wines that brim with freshness and vigour. They have the knack… what I love is how they elevate Maranges into something that exceeds all expectations.” Neal Martin, Vinous

“Everyone is on the lookout for Burgundy’s next white-wine star, … and brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet, who created this property in 2005 from their father’s and uncle’s land, are quietly making a solid claim.” Jon Bonné, punchdrink.com

Country

France

Primary Region

Côte de Beaune

People

Winemakers: Marc and Alexandre Bachelet

Availability

National

Most Recent Offer

  • Bachelet-Monnot 2022
    Bachelet-Monnot 2022
    2022 brought nothing but good news for Marc and Alexandre Bachelet, whose perennially o...
    2022 brought nothing but good news for Marc and Alexandre Bachelet, whose perennially overperforming Burgundies have earned them a stellar reputati...

    Read more

While you're here