Collection Bellenum Maison Roche de Bellene Vielles Vignes “Savigny-Les-Beaune 1995”

Groupe Bellene is composed of the négociant “Maison Roche de Bellene” and the winery “Domaine de Bellene” both located in Beaune. Nicolas Potel grew up at the Volnay Domaine Pousse d’Or, where his father, Gérard, had worked since 1964.

Nicolas trained abroad and returned home in 1996, hoping to build a négociant business and that was the start of Maison Nicolas Potel. Potel began sourcing grapes from good parcels, often working with the growers to improve quality. By 2002, he was making 120 wines from 50 different appellations.

Today he runs Maison Roche de Bellene, a micro-négoce that offers a complete range of wines, with an emphasis on individual terroirs from vieilles vignes (old vines – 40 years or older) that are farmed responsibly. All of the growers that Nicolas works with are either organic certified or farming according to the principles of lutte raisonée (sustainable viticulture). This enables Nicolas to consistently produce the expressive, terroir-driven style that is his vision. In addition he owns his own vineyards and bottles these wines under the label Domaine de Bellene. You can also find some special back vintage offerings that Nicolas has sourced from his friends in region, this is labelled under Collection Bellenum.

Lovely, open, mature but not at all tired, this is in fact still remarkably vibrant, pretty, perfumed. I love the lightly leafy, smoky, freshly turned earth and hummus, and white mushroom character wrapped around a core of sweet red cherry fruit. The palate delivers that beautifully silky-firm texture of fine pinot, more raw than refined silk, with lingering, haunting perfume. I must say, for lovers of old Burgundy, this is a steal at the price