Jean-Claude Bachelet Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Derriere La Tour Rouge 2023
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The Land
Saint-Aubin sits in the southern Côte de Beaune, between Chassagne-Montrachet to the south and the grand cru slope of Puligny-Montrachet to the north. Most of the appellation's attention goes to white wine, which leaves the red premier crus both underexplored and underpriced. Derrière La Tour takes its name from an old stone tower that once stood in the village; the vineyard faces east and southeast, with iron and clay-dominant soils that give the wine more structure and grip than the appellation's lighter limestone-based white parcels. Red premier crus from Saint-Aubin consistently outperform their appellation status, particularly when grown by a producer working biodynamically across sites that also include premier cru Chassagne and Puligny.
The Wine
100% Pinot Noir, biodynamically farmed. Indigenous yeast fermentation, aged 24 months in barrel. The 2023 vintage was the first at Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet to earn ECOCERT organic certification, completing more than a decade of biodynamic conversion. Reds finished at 13.5% and above after a warm final ripening period, with harvest opening on September 2nd. The Derrière La Tour delivers red cherry, dried flowers, iron mineral depth, and enough structured tannin to anchor a serious mid-palate. Saint-Aubin rouge at the premier cru level is one of the Côte de Beaune's better-kept secrets: the quality competes with village Volnay without the Volnay price.
The People
The Bachelet family has made wine from the hamlet of Gamay, just outside Saint-Aubin, since the early 17th century. Jean-Claude Bachelet, the patriarch who built the domaine's modern reputation, passed away in 2019. The estate is now run by his sons Benoît, whose first vintage here was 2000, and Jean-Baptiste, who joined in 2005. Together they oversee ten hectares split roughly evenly between red and white, with almost half the vines in Chassagne-Montrachet, 40% in Saint-Aubin, and the remainder in Puligny-Montrachet. Conversion to biodynamics began in 2012, and by 2016 all ten hectares were farmed biodynamically. The 2023 vintage marks the first Bachelet wines certified organic by ECOCERT. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts; the whites age 24 months in barrel, primarily in 456-liter vessels, giving them two winters in the cellar before bottling. A new cellar completed in Gamay gives the brothers the space to work with the same precision they apply in the vineyard.
Food Pairing
Duck confit with lentils and thyme, roast chicken with a wild mushroom cream sauce, lamb chops with herbes de Provence, or charcuterie alongside aged Comté. The mineral tannin frame and red-fruit core handle earthy preparations and fatty proteins equally well. A versatile Côte de Beaune red for the table, not just the tasting room.
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Burgundy, in eastern France, encompasses several subregions, but it is the Côte d'Or that is home to many of the world's most expensive and revered wines. The region, primarily a single east-facing slope, has mixed limestone soils that vary dramatically from village to village and even vineyard to vineyard. White wines, crafted from Chardonnay, range from rich and opulent to lean and intensely mineral, while Pinot Noir produces silky, perfumed red wines of exceptional finesse and complexity. Centuries of winemaking tradition have resulted in every plot being meticulously recognized and scrutinized, making the Côte d'Or a true capital of terroir.
Burgundy - Cote d'Or
Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned, notoriously difficult-to-grow, low-yielding grape that finds its ancestral home in Burgundy, France, where it produces some of the world's most elegant and nuanced wines. While Burgundy remains its spiritual heartland, Pinot Noir has since traveled the globe, finding success in other cooler climates, notably in California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Germany. This grape is a challenge for any grower, as it requires specific conditions to show its best, and yet the wines it produces are capable of such a captivating and singular character.
Pinot Noir
Certified Organic farming is an agricultural practice where vineyards adhere to strict regulations prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. Instead, certified organic growers rely on natural alternatives, including compost, cover crops, and beneficial insects, to nourish the soil and manage pests. Certification requires compliance with established organic standards, typically verified by third-party agencies such as USDA Organic in the United States or EU Organic in Europe. This method emphasizes ecological balance, biodiversity, and sustainability, aiming to produce high-quality grapes and wines while reducing environmental impact and promoting long-term vineyard health. Organic farming is not allowed to use Glyphosate.
