Collection: Clos Bateau

Sylvie and Thierry’s story is not one of a centuries-old French winemaking dynasty, but of two young restaurateurs who left behind their restaurant in Amsterdam to begin a new life in Lantignié.

Their passion for natural wine led them to take over an eight-hectare estate in 2019 and embark on the greatest adventure of their lives in Beaujolais.

Only part of the property is planted with vines, today totaling 5.5 hectares, while the remaining land is home to animals and their charming stone house. Of this, 3.9 hectares are currently under cultivation, planted with Gamay (average vine age: 53 years) and Chardonnay, introduced in 2018. They have also preserved 1.6 hectares of abandoned old vines (average age 56 years), which yield extremely small quantities of high-quality fruit, used for wines such as their Sauvage (Wild).

In the vineyard, they follow gentle, almost homeopathic methods. They gather wild plants and herbs from around the estate to prepare teas that strengthen the vines and enhance their natural resistance to disease. Their sheep assist with winter vineyard work, grazing on grass and weeds while naturally fertilizing the soil.

Respect for nature -from grape to bottle- lies at the heart of their philosophy. They work in harmony with lunar cycles, which guide decisions such as maceration time, pressing, and bottling. Fermentations are spontaneous, relying solely on native yeasts. The wines are neither filtered nor fined, and no sulfur is added.

With minimal intervention, they aim to craft wines that are truly alive, authentic expressions of place, care, and conviction.