About this WINE
Maison Roche de Bellene
Nicolas Potel decided to set up his own négociant business after the death of his father in 1996 and the subsequent sale of Domaine Pousse d`Or which his father had been managing.
The Nicolas Potel label became an excellent source of predominantly red wines, from Bourgogne Rouge to the Grands Crus of the Cote de Nuits. His hallmark has been to make wines which respect both their vineyard provenance and the style of the vintage while remaining attractively priced.
Suffering from a lack of capital, he sold the business to the Cottin brothers of Labouré-Roi in 2004, continuing as before until he parted company with his new owners in spring 2009. Instead he has developed his own Domaine de Bellene and negociant business Maison Roche de Bellene in Beaune.
Maison Roche de Bellene has been thriving in its new setting, expanding white wine production with the same high standards and competitive pricing as the reds. An associated company is Collection Bellenum, a label Nicolas uses for sourcing parcels of older Burgundy wines from capable producers who have squirrelled away various gems from their best vineyards.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
Maison Roche de Bellene has blended this pure and poised Pinot Noir to our specifications, including wines from grander appellations for extra intensity of flavour. The 2011 displays a vibrant array of red fruit aromatics, beautifully balanced across the palate with a resilient finish.
A soft, subtle, engaging wine which is crisp and bright on the nose, perfect for spring and summer drinking. On the palate it is has energy and charm, displaying subtle and smooth fruit notes. A little oak provides a slightly sweet vanilla spice flavour adding depth to this very fruity and generous wine. A fine aperitif this hugely versatile wine would also be perfect with a fresh salad, lamb or a light chicken dish.
Just as you can learn much from a restaurant’s house wine, you should also be able to judge a wine merchant by its own-label bottles, and we wouldn't put our name to anything which wasn't delicious to drink. Our range of Highly Dependable wines is just that: a marque that stands for reliable good value, and taste, be it a classic Argentinian Malbec or our carefully-crafted Reserve White – a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Mauzac and Vermentino.
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