Maison Roche de Bellene, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Les Beaux Monts, Burgundy

An introduction to Maison Roche de Bellene, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Les Beaux Monts, Burgundy

Les Beaux Monts is one of the larger Premier Cru climats within the appellation of Vosne-Romanée, and like most vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, is planted entirely with Pinot Noir. The patchwork of vineyard parcels located both on the mid-slope and the flatter lower slopes means there is a multitude of soil types. Depending on the vintage, Maison Roche de Bellene determines which parcels to use, occasionally sourcing fruit for the same wine from more than one plot. The emphasis of the Maison is on sustainable and organic farming, and they work exclusively with old vines. The vines in Les Beaux Monts were planted on east-facing clay-limestone soils at an elevation of 285m. The production of Maison Roche de Bellene Vosne Romanée Beaux Monts is very limited and often less than 600 bottles.

Performance

Understanding Maison Roche de Bellene, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Les Beaux Monts, Burgundy

The wine is made from the region’s signature Pinot Noir, which are manually harvested. The cuvée uses a proportion of whole bunches during the indigenous yeast fermentation and spends up to 18 months in oak barrel (50% new). Usually bottled filtered but unfined (vintage dependant), this is a sleek and supple wine, with ripe red and black fruit notes, layered with spices, and revealing fine minerality. The wine rewards extended cellaring of 10 to 15 years. According to Burghound, its 2011 vintage ‘is a classic Beaux Monts of understated grace’.

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