Bordeaux Masterclass at De Echoput: A Tale of Two Châteaux.
In the heart of the Veluwe forest, Dutch Wine Apprentice was invited to an exceptional Bordeaux masterclass at the renowned Hotel Restaurant De Echoput. The event was organized by the Klosse family, with Peter Klosse—wine professor and gastronomic thought leader—hosting the day alongside his sons, Boudewijn and Lodewijk, who are actively involved in the family’s hospitality business. A place where gastronomy and wine appreciation come together seamlessly, De Echoput served as the perfect stage for this in-depth Bordeaux experience.
The focus of the masterclass was two leading Bordeaux estates from distinct appellations: Château Giscours (Margaux) and Château Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan). The session featured presentations by their general managers, Alexander van Beek and Véronique Sanders – van Beek, who shared personal insights into their estates, philosophies, and wines—each bringing their own style and vision to the room.
Château Giscours: Ecosystem Thinking in the Heart of Margaux
Alexander van Beek opened the morning with a vibrant and passionate story about Château Giscours, a Third Growth estate in Margaux. Owned by the Dutch Albada Jelgersma family since 1995, the estate proudly maintains strong ties to the Netherlands—a connection van Beek celebrated warmly.
What quickly became clear is that Giscours is more than just a vineyard—it is a self-sustaining ecosystem. Of the estate’s 400 hectares, 160 are under vine. The rest comprises forest, meadows, lakes, and pastureland, supporting livestock like sheep, chickens, and cattle—including the reintroduction of the Bordelaise, a nearly extinct breed tied to Dutch history.
“It’s more and more important that you find balance within your own ecosystem,” Van Beek explained. “Trees cool the vines. Animals fertilize the land. Everything is connected—and we believe that’s the future of fine wine.”
The estate’s approach to precision viticulture includes managing each vine individually. Older vines are picked later, while younger ones are harvested earlier to preserve acidity and freshness. This sequential harvest strategy, implemented in 2018, is now a standard across the estate and contributes to nuance and balance in the final blends.
“We used to harvest everything together, but we realized the energy and expression of the younger vines were being lost,” Van Beek noted. “Now, by harvesting in sequences, we give each vine what it needs. That’s how you get wines with electricity—wines that sing.”
Wines Tasted from Château Giscours
During the Masterclass we tasted the following wines:
Le Haut-Médoc de Giscours 2020 – A classic and approachable blend from the estate’s Haut-Médoc holdings, crafted with the same precision as the grand vin. Fresh and expressive.
DWA Score: 88 Points.
La Sirène de Giscours 2020 – The second wine of the estate, named after a maritime legend. A structured, elegant wine with a floral lift and notable freshness.
DWA Score: 89 Points.
Château Giscours Vertical Flight:
2018 – Rich and powerful, shaped by a hot and generous year.
DWA Score: 94 Points
2019 – Marked by precision, energy, and layered complexity.
DWA Score: 95 Points
2020 – Harmonious and finely structured; a benchmark of the estate’s refined vineyard work.
DWA Score: 96 Points
“It’s the kind of wine that doesn’t scream,” Van Beek said, “but it keeps whispering beautifully long after the glass is empty.”
Château Haut-Bailly: Precision, Architecture and the Art of Blending
In the second half of the session, Véronique Sanders – van Beek, the elegant and articulate director of Château Haut-Bailly, guided guests through the quiet excellence of this Pessac-Léognan estate. Just minutes from Bordeaux city, Haut-Bailly feels worlds away—set among rolling hills and century-old vines, and home to one of the most architecturally striking cellars in Bordeaux, completed in 2020.
Sanders focused on the art of blending as central to Haut-Bailly’s identity. For her, wine is about soul and harmony, not percentages or formulas.
“Our wines are not made by numbers,” she said. “Just like with a person—you don’t fall in love with someone because they’re 1.75 meters tall. You love them for their style, their soul. Wine is no different.”
The estate’s field blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carménère and Malbec—some vines over 120 years old—is now managed with climate resilience in mind, including updated rootstock and adapted harvest timing.
“A great wine,” Sanders added, “is one that looks younger than its age and keeps getting more interesting as time passes. That’s what we aim for.”
Wines Tasted from Château Haut-Bailly
During the Masterclass we tasted the following wines:
HB 2020 & 2022 – The estate’s third wine, formerly labeled as generic Pessac-Léognan, is bottled under the name HB since 2018. The 2020 showed youthful brightness and soft structure; the 2022, from a challenging yet rewarding vintage, offered surprising freshness and energy.
HB 2020 – Youthful, with brightness and soft structure.
DWA Score: 88 Points
HB 2022 – From a challenging vintage, showing surprising freshness and balance.
DWA Score: 89 Points
Haut-Bailly II 2020 & 2022 – The second wine of the estate, formerly known as La Parde de Haut-Bailly, represents another face of the terroir with a Merlot-forward blend. The 2022 vintage stood out for its precision and approachability, with fine-grained tannins and vibrant fruit. Merlot-forward and refined. The 2022 in particular stood out for its energy and approachability.
DWA Scores: 92 Points (both vintages)
Château Haut-Bailly 2020 & 2022 – The Grand Vins delivered hallmark elegance and restraint.
2020 – Deep, balanced, and emotional—a vintage of resilience.
DWA Score: 97 Points
2022 – Structured, vibrant, and adaptive—a compelling snapshot of modern Haut-Bailly.
DWA Score: 96 Points
“In 2020,” Sanders recalled, “we had to reinvent everything daily due to COVID. It was a harvest of resilience. That vintage means a lot to us emotionally.”
The Winemaker Lunch: A Culinary Journey with the Châteaux
Following the masterclasses, guests were invited to a beautifully curated winemaker lunch at Restaurant De Echoput. With both Alexander and Véronique joining the table, the lunch was not just gastronomic but philosophical—an extension of the day’s deeper themes: place, expression, and connection.
1st Course
Trout, yoghurt, kohlrabi and watercress
Paired with: Rosé X Giscours 2024
A gastronomic rosé with a serious, mineral-driven profile—far from casual poolside sips.
“We treat it like a serious wine—with purpose and intent,” Van Beek remarked. “It’s born in Margaux, after all.”
The lunch began with a refreshing first course that played on delicate contrasts: the creamy acidity of yoghurt, crispness of kohlrabi, and peppery lift of watercress against the tender, lightly cured trout. It found a perfect partner in the newly released Rosé X Giscours 2024, a vibrant and textural rosé that surprised many with its gastronomic weight.
Its fine balance of red fruit, minerality, and saline edge elevated the freshness of the trout and carried the palate elegantly into the next course.
2nd Course
Veal tenderloin, morel, celeriac and green asparagus
Paired with: Château Giscours 2011
Gracefully aged and elegant, the 2011 showed tertiary depth and Margaux finesse.
The second dish offered a step into earthier, deeper flavors: tender veal met the umami richness of morels and the grounded sweetness of celeriac, offset by the vibrant crunch of seasonal asparagus. The wine pairing, Château Giscours 2011, was a revelation.
Often overlooked in favor of flashier vintages, the 2011 showed remarkable finesse and nuance in this context. Aged gracefully, it delivered tertiary notes of cedar, tobacco leaf, and dried herbs, all while retaining Margaux’s hallmark elegance.
“You see, maturity doesn’t mean tiredness. When the structure is there, a wine like this finds its voice at the table.”
3rd Course
Roe deer, beetroot, pistachio and fermented garlic
Paired with: Haut-Bailly II 2019 & Château Haut-Bailly 2019
A powerful yet refined pairing. The second wine offered charm and fruit; the Grand Vin delivered structure and elegance.
The most intense course of the meal—both in flavor and texture—was a triumph of balance. The wild character of roe deer, the earthy depth of beetroot, and the punch of fermented garlic created a dish that demanded serious wines.
And serious wines were delivered.
Guests were served two 2019s from Château Haut-Bailly: the second wine Haut-Bailly II, and the Grand Vin. Tasting them side by side with food highlighted not only their stylistic differences but the shared DNA of precision and elegance.
“Even our second wine is made with the same care and vineyard selection,” Sanders noted. “It’s not a lesser wine—just a different expression.”
Cheese Finale
36-month-aged Comté
Paired with: Château Giscours 1986 & Château Haut-Bailly 1985
Wines of age, grace, and wisdom. Both proved that true Bordeaux greatness lies in longevity.
The lunch concluded with a moment of reflection and reverence. Aged Comté, with its nutty intensity and crystalline texture, was served alongside two treasures from private cellars: Château Giscours 1986 and Château Haut-Bailly 1985.
These wines, nearly four decades old, were living proof of Bordeaux’s ability to age with grace. The Giscours 1986 displayed softened tannins, savory evolution, and quiet confidence. The Haut-Bailly 1985 was ethereal—perfumed, layered, and almost Burgundian in its elegance.
“A great wine,” Sanders reminded us, “still has something to say, even decades later.”
In this final pairing, both wines had plenty to say—and we listened, slowly and with deep appreciation.
Conclusion: Tradition Meets Innovation
This masterclass offered a rare opportunity to see Bordeaux through two complementary lenses: the biodiversity-driven elegance of Château Giscours, and the architectural precision and soulful blending of Château Haut-Bailly.
“Every year is a blank page,” Van Beek concluded. “You don’t make a wine you want—you let the vineyard tell you what it wants to become.”
Thanks to the warm hospitality of the Klosse family and the presence of two of Bordeaux’s most insightful estate directors, this day was not just about tasting fine wines. It was a masterclass in stewardship, adaptation, and the enduring pursuit of beauty in winemaking.
This article is written by our own Niels Aarts. We would like to thank De Echoput and their teams, in particular Peter Klosse and his sons Boudewijn and Lodewijk, as well as Alexander van Beek of Château Giscours and Véronique Sanders – van Beek of Château Haut-Bailly.
