Clos Bateau Sauvage 2023

Sylvie & Thierry started their adventure in 2019 when they left the restaurant scene in Amsterdam and moved to Lantignié in Beaujolais. 



Thierry’s grandfather’s name is Boot (meaning boat or bateau in French) and coincidentally this was also what Sylvie called her grandparents as they both used to work on a boat. Since the domaine is surrounded by a big Clos (stone wall) it was obvious to them that the domaine should be called Clos Bateau to honour their grandparents and to include them in their new life in France.


Theirs is a small, nature-friendly domaine (3.4 hectares are productive and 1.6 hectares are abandoned) mainly occupied by old-vine Gamay and a small amount of young Chardonnay.

With the mindset of working with nature and not against it, Sylvie and Thierry planted over 100 fruit and nut trees to create a diverse ecosystem for the vines.

 They work in the vineyard with a homeopathic touch collecting plants and herbs to make tea infusions that help the vines to become stronger and healthier. Also part of the team are sheep and Kunekune pigs they keep (who help eat the herbs in the vineyard during wintertime and give the soil food in return). 

Their abiding respect for nature continues in the cave where they work with the least amount of intervention possible. Only indigenous yeasts are used with no filtration and no fining. They let the moon guide them about when to press the grapes, how long the wines should macerate and when to bottle.

Sylvie & Thierry's cuvées are unique expressions of the terroir with a strong identity.

• Gamay