Domaine Bachey-Legros

Domaine Bachey-Legros is a family estate spanning six generations in the village of Santenay-le-Haut. The family history in viticulture dates to the 19th century, following a direct line through ancestors François Bachey, Lazare, Joseph, and Marcel. Christiane Legros currently manages the estate together with her sons, Samuel and Lénaïc Legros. The primary winery building is located on the oldest street in Santenay, situated in a neighborhood that has seen little architectural change over the last two centuries. The property expanded its operations in 2008 by establishing a merchant business and commissioned a new winery facility in 2017 to improve technical precision during the fermentation process.

The domain covers 18 to 19 hectares of vineyard land within the appellations of Santenay, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Maranges. The central focus of the viticultural practice is the preservation of old vines, with significant portions of the holdings planted between 1935 and 1955. These older vines have deeply established root systems that penetrate the limestone and clay soils, resulting in naturally low yields and concentrated berries. The vineyard sites include a mix of calcareous limestone, which provides mineral tension, and deeper clay layers that contribute body to the wines. The team practices minimal intervention in the cellar to highlight these terroir differences. Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented in temperature controlled tanks. Aging takes place in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new oak limited to avoid masking the fruit profile.

Signature wines include the Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot Les Petits Clos and the Santenay Clos des Hâtes Vieilles Vignes. The estate also produces red and white wines from the Maranges and Santenay appellations, such as the Premier Cru La Comme and the Santenay Blanc Sous La Roche. The producers are recognized for wines with depth and structure, utilizing the natural concentration provided by their ancient vineyard stock. This focus on old vines has become the defining characteristic of the estate, allowing them to produce wines that showcase the distinct qualities of the southern Côte de Beaune. All wines are vinified and aged at the property before bottling.