CHÂTEAU DES BACHELARDS

Château des Bachelards: a small château, a vast living terroir in Fleurie

Some estates simply “make wine”… others tell the story of a place.
Founded around the year 1100 by the Benedictine monks of Cluny, Château des Bachelards clearly belongs to the second category. Nestled in Fleurie, in the northern Beaujolais, this remarkable estate moves forward with a simple—and remarkably effective—idea: let the land speak, without ever suffocating it.

A rare estate at the heart of Beaujolais crus

The vineyard covers 18 hectares, including 6 hectares in AOC Fleurie, complemented by parcels in Beaujolais-Villages, Saint-Amour and Moulin-à-Vent.

This is not a “catalog of appellations,” but a true mosaic of places, each with its own character. Here, wines are made because the terroir deserves it—not because “that’s the method.”

Organic since 2007, biodynamics at its core

At Château des Bachelards, nature is not a marketing argument—it is the working framework.

No synthetic chemical products have been used since 2007. The estate is certified:

Organic Farming (FR-BIO-15)

Demeter

Biodyvin

The beating heart of the estate is the Clos des Bachelards, a historic monopole in Fleurie: a living walled vineyard where vines coexist with a rich ecosystem, and where the balance of life is clearly felt… in the glass.

A terroir unlike any other

Beaujolais is far more complex than it is often given credit for. At Bachelards, that complexity becomes a strength.

In Fleurie, pink granite brings finesse, energy and lift.

Within the Clos, ultra-rare blue clays—found nowhere else in Beaujolais—add a velvety texture, deeper structure and a very distinctive sense of substance.

The result: Gamay rises to a new level. Not just in altitude, but in depth and ambition.

Winemaking against the current, to reach the essence

The estate has made a clear choice: step away from Beaujolais automatisms in order to seek a longer, more precise, more site-driven expression.

Here:

no carbonic maceration

no commercial yeasts

carefully controlled extractions and long time frames

patient ageing in amphorae, concrete vats, large foudres and occasionally barrels

The goal is not to impress at the first sip. The goal is to create wines that endure, evolve and leave a lasting impression.

Iconic wines acclaimed by international critics

The wines of Château des Bachelards carry a rare signature: Burgundian-style elegance in detail, combined with Rhône-like generosity and depth of texture.

The Fleurie “Clos des Bachelards” (Monopole) has become a cult cuvée, earning exceptionally high scores—up to 98/100. It is not just a great wine; it is a wine that convinces even those who never expected to love a “serious” Beaujolais.

A new momentum focused on the future

The estate has lived through several defining chapters: monastic origins, a long family era, the organic transition, biodynamics—and today, a clear ambition to preserve viticultural excellence while making Château des Bachelards a place of welcome, sharing and transmission.

In short: a château that does not live in nostalgia, but in its soil—driven by a sustainable, regenerative vision firmly focused on tomorrow.

What truly distinguishes a biodynamically farmed Fleurie, such as Clos des Bachelards, from a Fleurie vinified using carbonic maceration, in terms of aromas, texture and ageing potential ?