An incredible visit to CLOS BATEAU in Beaujolais!
Who are Clos Bateau?
Clos Bateau is a wine estate by Thierry and Sylvie Klok de Visser, who in 2019 left the restaurant scene in Amsterdam to pursue their dream of winemaking, in Beaujolais.
We had the absolute pleasure to visit them earlier in 2024 and filmed the experience, as this trip really enchanted us! Scroll down to watch the video!
Where are Clos Bateau based?
Sylvie and Thierry tend to 4-5 hectares of vineyards in Lantignié, a prized village just north of Lyon that many state should be the 11th Cru of Beaujolais! Their vineyards are occupied by old-vine Gamay (at least 50 years) and a small amount of younger Chardonnay, tucked away in a tree-lined parcel with it's own microclimate.
The truly dynamic and very creative, aspiring and impressive duo behind Clos Bateau let the moon cycles lead their winemaking decisions including in the cellar, such as when to press, bottle, and how long to macerate. Only indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation and no filtering or fining agents are used and no added sulphites - basically, as little intervention as possible. Due to the low yields, production is very limited - they only make about 1100 cases each vintage, some limited to just 700 bottles of so.
Small Production & an Abandoned Vineyard?
The wines have been very well received on the natural wine scene - from the light, wild and vibrant red Joujou to the impressive terroir-driven Côte de Brouilly ‘Le Pavé’, as well as the more experimental wines, such as Chardonnay & Gamay blends or long lees aging Pet Nats...
When Thierry and Sylvie first arrived, some of the vineyards were productive but a smaller portion was abandoned old vines - the couple didn’t feel right about tearing it out, so instead they work very hard to tend the abandoned vines, resulting in low yields but some really special grapes! This particular Clos Bateau vineyard is seen at work in the wine 'Sauvage'.
Their philosophy is to work with nature, not against it, and they put a huge emphasis on biodiversity. They have planted over 100 fruit and nut trees on the vineyards, and their sheep help by eating weeds and fertilizing the soil. Herbs are collected from the land to make teas and infusions to nurture the vines.
Visiting the domaine was a truly enriching experience, and actually one of the most memorable winery visits we have ever done!
We adore the wines of course, which you can find here
Clos Bateau Video
Watch the video of Clos Bateau. If you're feeling intrigued, try the wines but remember, production is low, so get them while you can!