Burgundy
Domaine Bachey-Legros, Côte de Beaune
The elegant Christiane Bachey has guided the domaine her great-grandparents founded since 1993, however, in recent years her two sons Lénaïc and Samuel have assumed stewardship of Bachey-Legros and its impressive array of well-situated old-vine parcels.
The family’s 18th century house is located on the oldest street in the picturesque village of Santenay-le-Haut, while the domaine’s primary vineyard holdings lie in both Santenay (approximately 20 acres) and Chassagne-Montrachet (8.5 acres). The Bacheys possess large old-vine plots in two excellent premier crus: Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau for Pinot Noir, and Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot, planted to Chardonnay. But they nurture all of their vines (old and young) with equal care.
Christiane and her boys are passionate about their work. They tend their vines by hand and plough their stony, mineral-rich soils (Santenay was renowned for mineral baths dating back to Roman times) instead of using chemicals. Harvest is manual and two selections are made before pressing: one in the vineyard and a second upon arrival at the cellar. Though even-handed in their winemaking, the intense concentration of some of the domaine’s Pinot from older vines can require up to 50% new oak.
Domaine Facts
| Vines & Wines: | 39.5 acres of vines in several parcels — Sustainably farmed (lutte raisonnée) Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau: 4 acres (part planted in 1915/ part in 1950) Santenay Clos des Hâtes: 4.2 acres (planted in 1935) Santenay Villages (Vieilles Vignes): 10 acres (part planted in 1935/part in 1948) Santenay Sous la Roche (blanc): 1.3 acres (planted in 2000) Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot (Blanc): 5 acres (planted in 1950) Chassagne-Montrachet Villages (Vieilles Vignes rouge): 3.5 acres (planted in 1946) Also parcels in AC Bourgogne and Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune |
| Soil: | Santenay and Chassagne rouge parcels – mineral-rich limestone and marl Chassagne-Morgeot – white oolite and Pierre de Chassagne limestone with marl |
| Harvest: | Manual harvest using small bins with strict selection in vineyard and second triage on sorting table upon arrival at cellar. |
| Yields: | 35 hectoliters/hectare maximum for old-vine Santenay reds 40 hectoliters/hectare on average for other wines |
| Vinification & Elevage: |
All fruit is destemmed. Cuvaison period of 15-20 days for reds in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats with daily pigeage. Combination of new and older neutral barrels is used. Age/neutrality of barrels depends on wine. No more than 30% new oak for whites. Up to 50% for reds. Reds racked once after malo-lactic and returned to barrel for another 8-12 months (depending on wine). Minimal or no filtration of reds. |
| Annual Production: | 84,000 bottles / 7,000 cases |