Clos Bateau is a French wine domain run by Thierry and Sylvie Klok de Visser, who made the big leap in 2019 from the restaurant world in Amsterdam to follow their winemaking dream in Beaujolais and get closer to nature. They now take care of 5.5 hectares of vines in Lantignié, a village just north of Lyon, often considered a hidden gem of Beaujolais that some even believe should be the 11th Cru! In addition to their vines, they also gave a home to beautiful pigs, goats and chickens on the property.
Their vineyards are made up of old-vine Gamay (at least 50 years old) and a small amount of younger Chardonnay, which grows in a special microclimate in a tree-lined parcel. There’s also a small plot of Pinot Noir, aged in Qvevri buried in the ground outside their house and limited to just around 760 bottles. The vines are tended with a lot of care and passion, and what’s even cooler is that they also make their own ceramics using clay from their land and pigments from vine branches burned after pruning.
Clos Bateau wines are wild, herbaceous, and unmistakably their own. Without a doubt, they’re one of our top Beaujolais producers!
