The estate’s history dates back to the 1950s, when Louis Bertrand settled in Charentay to become a winegrower in France’s stunning Beaujolais region. Following his father’s advice, he took over the Château de Grand-Pré estate in Fleurie in 1972 alongside Renée and her son Guy. When Guy and Annick succeeded them in 1992, they expanded the estate by acquiring plots of farmland around the château.
With environmental concerns in mind, cultivation gradually became more respectful and was certified organic in 2012. That same year, the business was taken over by their son. There are 10,000 vines planted per hectare. In the vineyard, work alternates between ploughing and natural grass cover to promote microbial life and encourage the vines to dig deep for the nutrients they require and to withstand any water stress. Today, work is carried out following biodynamic principles.
The grapes are meticulously sorted after being harvested by hand. The cuvées are vinified with native yeasts. Emphasis is placed on the purity of the fruit. Which is why there is no pumping, barrels are new, sulphur and enriching are strictly avoided. Renamed Yann Bertrand?–?formerly Domaine des Bertrand?–?the estate’s ambition is to produce ‘vibrant’ wines.