North of Béziers, in the Languedoc, the countryside becomes wild and beautiful in the area around Saint-Chinian. The 60 hectare property of Clos Bagatelle is located on the outskirts of the town and wine has been produced here for nearly 400 years.
The domaine had been passed from mother to daughter for five generations when Marie-Françoise, the mother of the current owners, took over the property and set about renovating the vineyard. New vines were planted, two new cellars were installed alongside the 18th century original and she was the first to extend the limits of the estate by purchasing land in the tiny neighbouring Muscat appellation of Saint-Jean-de-Minervois. During a period when few people believed that Languedoc wines could improve with time, she set about crafting ageworthy wines to lay down.
Since 1995, the next generation, Christine Deleuze and her brother Luc Simon, have continued the family tradition; adding the Donnadieu and Assignan vineyards to the family holdings and producing wines of great character. Everything is hand-picked and sorted and there is minimal intervention in the vineyard. Christine, dynamic and clearly passionate about her wines, is working hard to increase the sustainability of winemaking at Clos Bagatelle.
Christine Deleuze is a keen advocate of sustainability at Clos Bagatelle and has recently been awarded the highest Haute Valeur Environnementale (“High Environmental Value”) or HVE 3 certification. When compared to organic certification, the newer HVE system better promotes diversity in the vineyard and offers a more adaptable, environmentally conscious approach to agriculture. She is also aiming for membership of Terra Vitis, putting the three pillars of sustainable development (social, environmental and economic) to the fore and carefully analysing the impact of the estate upon employees, suppliers and customers alike.
Clos Bagatelle is introducing lighter glass bottles to reduce its environmental impact and it carefully audits its suppliers to ensure that they generate the minimum amount of waste.
FCB005
Clos Bagatelle
Languedoc, France
Finesse and elegance characterise this stunning white wine from one of Saint-Chinian's most dynamic ...
FCB009
Clos Bagatelle
Languedoc, France
A spicy, complex red from the oldest wine region in the Languedoc.
FCB007
Clos Bagatelle
Languedoc, France
Vibrant, seductively smooth fruit and exemplary balance, a cracking southern French red.
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