Michel Bernard: "Never again with large retailers!"

Château Beauchêne isn't just a princess's castle, the perfect setting for lavish weddings. It's also a vineyard nestled in the heart of the Rhône Valley, renowned for its fruity and delicious wines. Michel Bernard is its proud owner. Born into a family of winemakers, he wasn't initially destined for a career in viticulture… He shares with us the Château's unusual history and his current projects.

Michel Bernard abandons his law studies and takes over Château Beauchêne

Our journey was a little unusual: in the early 1970s, I took over the family business after my father's sudden death. I then had to make a choice and I abandoned my law studies to focus on developing the business. We quickly built up a very large, traditional clientele in Paris, and we were running low on wine.

Back then, I was more ambitious than I am today, and I started a wine trading business. I applied my basic legal knowledge to develop a formula that allowed us to group together 40 vineyards, which was very innovative at the time. This was in the early 1980s, and supermarkets were really starting to take an interest in wine, which allowed us to grow very quickly. We became a major wine merchant, but paradoxically, we had lost all our wine shop and restaurant clients. After ten years, I stopped believing in this trading business because I no longer believed in supermarkets. To survive in supermarkets today, you have to aim for mass production, constantly drive down prices… it's no longer reasonable .

So we returned to production, and I bought back the château and the surrounding vineyards in 1988. We made significant investments to improve the quality of our wines, with a modern winery, and considerable effort in the vinification of our white wines, which we now master perfectly. However, we will no longer be selling through large retailers.

The fruity wines of Château Beauchêne in Piolenc

The Château Beauchêne vineyard comprises two distinct areas. First, there is the vineyard directly surrounding the Château, which, judging by the materials we collect during plowing, is likely the site of an ancient Roman settlement . Adjacent to the Château lies the original estate (approximately twenty hectares, located between Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape ), which has belonged to our family since the French Revolution. These two estates are now combined, and the plots are only a few kilometers apart.

We produce red wines where we prioritize fruitiness. Fruitiness shouldn't be confused with lightness. We destem the entire harvest to allow for longer vinification. The tannins are well-integrated, but that doesn't mean our wines lack character. This is my style, and the one I'm trying to pass on to my daughter who will take over the business. For our white wines, we still focus on fruit, but they are more gastronomic wines, meant to be enjoyed with a meal. They do, however, have excellent aging potential: try a 15- or 20-year-old Châteauneuf-du-Pape with truffle scrambled eggs. We make whites that retain a relatively full, vinous character, and the two pair perfectly.

The future of Château Beauchêne: more Mourvèdre to combat climate change in the Rhône Valley

For the past eight years, I've been working to plant grape varieties that are more resistant to potential climate change. While I'm not particularly climate-skeptical, we've observed that the region is warming, and so we're increasing the percentage of Mourvèdre . This grape variety thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and we're fortunate to have groundwater replenished by the Alps and the Rhône River.

Today, the next generation is in our daughters' capable hands. Previously, they each had quite different careers. Amandine went to business school. As for Estelle, who will be taking over the agronomy and oenology, she was a veterinarian. They are now 37 and 38 years old, and for them, this is a true return to the vineyard! I am proud that they can contribute their experience and continue the Château's legacy.

Tasting notes for the 2014 Grande Réserve vintage from Château Beauchêne on Gilbert & Gaillard: "Clear garnet color, youthful highlights. Pleasant nose, redcurrant, raspberry jam, a touch of spice. Aromatic attack, we appreciate the naturalness and precision of the fruit, some discreet tannins, a touch of garrigue. It's very enjoyable."

Robin (The Grapes)