Denis Bachelet
About Denis Bachelet
A very small Domaine operating out of modest, tiny cellars in Gevrey-Chambertin, Bachelet is renowned among Burgundy lovers for his exceedingly rare Charmes-Chambertin and 1er Cru les Corbeaux. Barely 4 hectares in totality, this tiny but impressive estate under the ownership of the mercurial Denis Bachelet has moved from strength to strength since 1983. Even in a region where tiny production and true artisans are the specialities, this eponymous label is a special name.
“Finesse before all else" is the overarching philosophy behind Bachelet’s wines, and this is exceedingly pronounced in each and every cuvée he produces. For many years this was essentially a one-man operation, granting Denis an unparalleled knowledge of his vines, soils and inner working of the winery. Yields are ruthlessly managed before the scythe is swung another time by very careful selection at harvest time, including a new vibrating sorting table. New oak is used generously but in a controlled manner.

Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£341.09 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£503.09 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96-97 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£6,915.64 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96-97)The 2005 Charmes-Chambertin (from 80-year-old, tiny-berried, tiny-clustered vines in the core Charmes) is destined to become one of the benchmarks of this great vintage as well as of Bachelet’s career. Too bad there will only be around 200 cases! A gorgeous nose of black cherry, blackberry, violets, rowan berry and licorice leads to a deeply black-fruited, expansive, satin-textured palate with undertones of bitter black chocolate, bitter-sweet roasted nuts, chalk, and iodine. (The iodine lends these black fruits a slightly medicinal aspect – and what wouldn’t this cure, I wonder?!). This Charmes exhibits amazing density and low-toned flavors in combination with lift, elegance and persistently engaging primary fruit juiciness. The carnal side of Pinot is entirely sublimated for now and the tannins so fine as to melt into the background. Save this for 2020 or beyond, please! |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,313.05 |
|||||
Vinous (92)Ruby-red. Deep aromas of black plum, licorice and flowers, with complicating hints of truffle and underbrush. Broad, silky and sweet, with impressive volume for the vintage. Bright acids frame but do not dominate the dark fruit, smoke and mineral flavors. Finishes long and suave, with fine-grained tannins. This will give early pleasure for a Charmes-Chambertin from Bachelet. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£3,852.83 |
|||||
Vinous (93-96)Bachelet's 2013 Charmes-Chambertin is striking. Translucent and pulsating in the glass, the 2013 possesses notable energy and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, violet, leather and smoke gradually unfurl in a mysterious, beguiling Charmes that will provide fabulous drinking for many years. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£4,786.84 |
|||||
Vinous (93-96)Bachelet's 2013 Charmes-Chambertin is striking. Translucent and pulsating in the glass, the 2013 possesses notable energy and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, violet, leather and smoke gradually unfurl in a mysterious, beguiling Charmes that will provide fabulous drinking for many years. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95-97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£4,597.24 |
|||||
Vinous (95-97)The 2018 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru comprises eight-and-a-quarter barrels this year. Interestingly, Bachelet lamented how the shallow soils exacerbate the drought conditions, to the extent that he is afraid that at some point in the future the parcel will need to be replanted with rootstocks more acclimated to a lack of moisture. The crystalline, floral bouquet blossoms in the glass, turning very intense and delivering a mixture of red and black fruit laced with rose petals and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Not a powerful Grand Cru by a long way, but much more refined and graceful, almost dichotomous to the growing season. A dash of white pepper peps up the finish. Sublime. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£6,213.89 |
|||||
Vinous (94)There are five instead of eight barrels of the 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru, which is still more than there will be next year. This takes its time to open, revealing wild strawberry and black cherry scents entwined with hints of graphite and crushed stone. The palate is framed by very fine tannins, the palate sweet and concentrated with dark cherries, fig and damson. Gentle grip on the finish with very long length, this should give 20-30 years drinking pleasure. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90-92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£502.84 |
|||||
Vinous (90-92)The 2018 Côtes de Nuits Villages has a wonderful, very pure bouquet of perfumed raspberry, wild strawberry and pressed flower aromas that unfold with great precision. The palate is medium-bodied with a vibrant, very focused and elegant entry, just about perfect acidity, and plenty of poise on a finish worthy of a premier cru. Yep – that good. Go buy. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£3,223.27 |
|||||
Vinous (91+)Bright, deep ruby-red. Pure dark berries, tar and violet on the high-pitched nose. At once lush and juicy, with terrific definition to its flavors of black fruits, tar and mint. The substantial, strong tannins reach the front teeth. Finishes uncompromisingly dry but with the fat of the year. Bachelet tends to press early, as he's afraid of getting too much extraction of tannins in the presence of alcohol. This one needs a solid decade of bottle aging. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91-93+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£3,396.58 |
|||||
Vinous (91-93+)The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux comes across as cool, inward and virile. It possesses stunning mid-palate presence and depth. Layers of black cherry, blackberry, spices and graphite emerge on the intense, palate-staining finish. Here, too, it is the energy and textural breadth that set the wine apart. This parcel was planted in 1920. I can't wait to taste the Corbeaux in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£709.22 |
|||||
Vinous (91-93)(the crop level here was a full 42 hectoliters per hectare): Moderately saturated medium red. Very ripe but reticent aromas of black cherry, dark plum, licorice and minerals. A bit more masculine and strict than the Les Evocelles (this wine is from clay soil, while the Evocelles is planted on hard rock) and the only one of these '16s to show any evidence of reduction. Finishes with a firm spine of tannins and a subtle salty character. A rather powerful wine from three parcels, the oldest planted in the 1920s and the youngest following the 1985 frost. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94-96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£808.82 |
|||||
Vinous (94-96)Matured in 50% new oak, the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Corbeaux 1er Cru is a wine whose extraction Bachelet told me he has reduced from 2014, as he felt the clay soils made it too masculine. It is divine on the nose, offering pixelated red berry fruit mixed with oyster shell and limestone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins, perfect acidity and more freshness and tension than it knows what to do with. This is a sleek, wonderfully proportioned Gevrey that will age effortlessly. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,871.09 |
|||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru, matured in around 50% new oak, has a beautifully defined, quite earthy bouquet that blossoms with aeration, touches of truffle and tobacco emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, almost chalky tannins, more black fruit entering the fray. A hint of blood orange appears on the pixelated finish. Stunning. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£415.45 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru, matured in 50% new oak, has a complex bouquet with brambly red fruit, cranberry, sous-bois and iris flower scents that unfolds wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy dark berry fruits that exert a gentle grip, structured and linear with a granular texture on the finish. Wonderful focus and sense of energy here. Superb. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,674.29 |
|||||
Vinous (92-94)The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles has an outstanding bouquet of perfumed black cherry, raspberry, cranberry and crushed stone aromas; touches of orange pith emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, perfectly judged acidity and not a hair out of place on the finish. This is one of my favorite wines from Bachelet this vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90-92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,674.07 |
|||||
Vinous (90-92)Bright and delineated, the 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is a terrific example of the year. Wild flowers, dark stone fruits, mint, crushed rocks, spices and leather are all given an extra kick of brightness in an energetic, chiseled Gevrey that delivers the goods. There is a lot to like here. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 89 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£871.24 |
|||||
Vinous (89)(30% new oak): Bright, moderately saturated dark red. Purer on the nose than the Côte de Nuits-Villages, offering aromas of dark cherry, licorice and spices. Juicy and intense in the mouth, showing a darker fruit character than the Côte de Nuits-Villages, as well as a note of bitter chocolate. The serious, chewy finish features ripe, dusty tannins and good saline persistence. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 2 | 90 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,001.09 |
|||||
Vinous (90)The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, which this year contains the measly amount of Les Evocelles harvested, has superb concentration on the nose with black cherries, bilberry and light oyster shell scents, all beautifully-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and is very pure and concentrated, maybe just needing a little more mineralité to come through on the finish. Give this 3-4 years in bottle. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
In Bond
£265.00 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
In Bond
£400.00 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96-97 (WA) |
In Bond
£5,747.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96-97)The 2005 Charmes-Chambertin (from 80-year-old, tiny-berried, tiny-clustered vines in the core Charmes) is destined to become one of the benchmarks of this great vintage as well as of Bachelet’s career. Too bad there will only be around 200 cases! A gorgeous nose of black cherry, blackberry, violets, rowan berry and licorice leads to a deeply black-fruited, expansive, satin-textured palate with undertones of bitter black chocolate, bitter-sweet roasted nuts, chalk, and iodine. (The iodine lends these black fruits a slightly medicinal aspect – and what wouldn’t this cure, I wonder?!). This Charmes exhibits amazing density and low-toned flavors in combination with lift, elegance and persistently engaging primary fruit juiciness. The carnal side of Pinot is entirely sublimated for now and the tannins so fine as to melt into the background. Save this for 2020 or beyond, please! |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,091.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92)Ruby-red. Deep aromas of black plum, licorice and flowers, with complicating hints of truffle and underbrush. Broad, silky and sweet, with impressive volume for the vintage. Bright acids frame but do not dominate the dark fruit, smoke and mineral flavors. Finishes long and suave, with fine-grained tannins. This will give early pleasure for a Charmes-Chambertin from Bachelet. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) |
In Bond
£3,200.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93-96)Bachelet's 2013 Charmes-Chambertin is striking. Translucent and pulsating in the glass, the 2013 possesses notable energy and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, violet, leather and smoke gradually unfurl in a mysterious, beguiling Charmes that will provide fabulous drinking for many years. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) |
In Bond
£3,973.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93-96)Bachelet's 2013 Charmes-Chambertin is striking. Translucent and pulsating in the glass, the 2013 possesses notable energy and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, violet, leather and smoke gradually unfurl in a mysterious, beguiling Charmes that will provide fabulous drinking for many years. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95-97 (VN) |
In Bond
£3,815.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95-97)The 2018 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru comprises eight-and-a-quarter barrels this year. Interestingly, Bachelet lamented how the shallow soils exacerbate the drought conditions, to the extent that he is afraid that at some point in the future the parcel will need to be replanted with rootstocks more acclimated to a lack of moisture. The crystalline, floral bouquet blossoms in the glass, turning very intense and delivering a mixture of red and black fruit laced with rose petals and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Not a powerful Grand Cru by a long way, but much more refined and graceful, almost dichotomous to the growing season. A dash of white pepper peps up the finish. Sublime. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£5,159.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)There are five instead of eight barrels of the 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru, which is still more than there will be next year. This takes its time to open, revealing wild strawberry and black cherry scents entwined with hints of graphite and crushed stone. The palate is framed by very fine tannins, the palate sweet and concentrated with dark cherries, fig and damson. Gentle grip on the finish with very long length, this should give 20-30 years drinking pleasure. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90-92 (VN) |
In Bond
£403.00 |
|||||
Vinous (90-92)The 2018 Côtes de Nuits Villages has a wonderful, very pure bouquet of perfumed raspberry, wild strawberry and pressed flower aromas that unfold with great precision. The palate is medium-bodied with a vibrant, very focused and elegant entry, just about perfect acidity, and plenty of poise on a finish worthy of a premier cru. Yep – that good. Go buy. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91+ (VN) |
In Bond
£2,654.00 |
|||||
Vinous (91+)Bright, deep ruby-red. Pure dark berries, tar and violet on the high-pitched nose. At once lush and juicy, with terrific definition to its flavors of black fruits, tar and mint. The substantial, strong tannins reach the front teeth. Finishes uncompromisingly dry but with the fat of the year. Bachelet tends to press early, as he's afraid of getting too much extraction of tannins in the presence of alcohol. This one needs a solid decade of bottle aging. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91-93+ (VN) |
In Bond
£2,792.00 |
|||||
Vinous (91-93+)The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux comes across as cool, inward and virile. It possesses stunning mid-palate presence and depth. Layers of black cherry, blackberry, spices and graphite emerge on the intense, palate-staining finish. Here, too, it is the energy and textural breadth that set the wine apart. This parcel was planted in 1920. I can't wait to taste the Corbeaux in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
In Bond
£583.00 |
|||||
Vinous (91-93)(the crop level here was a full 42 hectoliters per hectare): Moderately saturated medium red. Very ripe but reticent aromas of black cherry, dark plum, licorice and minerals. A bit more masculine and strict than the Les Evocelles (this wine is from clay soil, while the Evocelles is planted on hard rock) and the only one of these '16s to show any evidence of reduction. Finishes with a firm spine of tannins and a subtle salty character. A rather powerful wine from three parcels, the oldest planted in the 1920s and the youngest following the 1985 frost. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94-96 (VN) |
In Bond
£666.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94-96)Matured in 50% new oak, the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Corbeaux 1er Cru is a wine whose extraction Bachelet told me he has reduced from 2014, as he felt the clay soils made it too masculine. It is divine on the nose, offering pixelated red berry fruit mixed with oyster shell and limestone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins, perfect acidity and more freshness and tension than it knows what to do with. This is a sleek, wonderfully proportioned Gevrey that will age effortlessly. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-95 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,540.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru, matured in around 50% new oak, has a beautifully defined, quite earthy bouquet that blossoms with aeration, touches of truffle and tobacco emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, almost chalky tannins, more black fruit entering the fray. A hint of blood orange appears on the pixelated finish. Stunning. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£343.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru, matured in 50% new oak, has a complex bouquet with brambly red fruit, cranberry, sous-bois and iris flower scents that unfolds wonderfully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy dark berry fruits that exert a gentle grip, structured and linear with a granular texture on the finish. Wonderful focus and sense of energy here. Superb. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,376.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92-94)The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles has an outstanding bouquet of perfumed black cherry, raspberry, cranberry and crushed stone aromas; touches of orange pith emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, perfectly judged acidity and not a hair out of place on the finish. This is one of my favorite wines from Bachelet this vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90-92 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,363.00 |
|||||
Vinous (90-92)Bright and delineated, the 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is a terrific example of the year. Wild flowers, dark stone fruits, mint, crushed rocks, spices and leather are all given an extra kick of brightness in an energetic, chiseled Gevrey that delivers the goods. There is a lot to like here. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 89 (VN) |
In Bond
£710.00 |
|||||
Vinous (89)(30% new oak): Bright, moderately saturated dark red. Purer on the nose than the Côte de Nuits-Villages, offering aromas of dark cherry, licorice and spices. Juicy and intense in the mouth, showing a darker fruit character than the Côte de Nuits-Villages, as well as a note of bitter chocolate. The serious, chewy finish features ripe, dusty tannins and good saline persistence. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 2 | 90 (VN) |
In Bond
£815.00 |
|||||
Vinous (90)The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, which this year contains the measly amount of Les Evocelles harvested, has superb concentration on the nose with black cherries, bilberry and light oyster shell scents, all beautifully-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and is very pure and concentrated, maybe just needing a little more mineralité to come through on the finish. Give this 3-4 years in bottle. |