2012 Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellene, Burgundy

2012 Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellene, Burgundy

Product: 20121079689
 
2012 Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Maison Roche de Bellene, Burgundy

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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Description

The nose shows such concentration that it's hard to make out the detail but it is not only massively concentrated but really classy. The volume is sensational here and the acidity is lurking. This wine will continue to build during its remaining time in barrel and will provide a great experience of Montrachet in the long term.
Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Wine Director

 



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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate90/100
The 2012 Montrachet Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with honeysuckle, orange peel and dried apricot aromas that are well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a slight viscosity on the spicy entry. Good weight here, but there is a touch of attenuation on the finish at the moment and it seems to be outmaneuvered by the Batard-Montrachet at this early juncture.
Neal Martin - 30/12/2013 Read more

About this WINE

Maison Roche de Bellene

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.

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Le Montrachet

Le Montrachet

Le Montrachet hails from the Burgundy region of France, specifically from the villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune subregion. This wine is produced in the vineyards surrounding Montrachet Hill, which is famed for its limestone-rich soils and ideal microclimate for producing top-quality Chardonnay.

Le Montrachet wines are known for their complexity, depth, and nuance. They often exhibit a wide range of aromas and flavours, which can include notes of citrus, stone fruits, tropical fruits, honey, butter, minerals, and sometimes even hints of hazelnut or toast. These wines tend to be full-bodied with a rich, creamy texture on the palate and are often complemented by vibrant acidity, which provides balance and freshness to the wine.

Le Montrachet wines have exceptional ageing potential. While they can be enjoyable when young, they truly shine with age, developing even more complexity and depth over time. Well-made examples can easily age for decades, evolving into truly extraordinary wines with patience and proper storage.

The concept of terroir, which refers to the unique combination of soil, climate, and vineyard location, is paramount in Burgundy winemaking, and Le Montrachet is a prime example of terroir expression. The wines reflect the specific characteristics of Montrachet Hill and its surrounding vineyards, showcasing the influence of the limestone soils and the region's mesoclimate.

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Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

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When is a wine ready to drink?

We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.

Not ready

These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.

Ready - youthful

These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.

Ready - at best

These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.

Ready - mature

These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.