Clos Saint Vincent

History of Clos Saint Vincent

Created more than fifty years ago, Clos Saint Vincent reached a decisive turning point in the spring of 1993, when the Sicardi and Sergi families acquired the property, located at the lieu-dit Collet des Fourniers, in Saint-Roman de Bellet, on the heights of Nice. After a life as a coachbuilder and then a restaurateur, Joseph Sergi, known as Jo, devoted himself entirely to the vine and began planting in 1997. Deeply attached to his land and his terroir, he quickly became an emblematic figure of the Bellet appellation.

Today, Jo Sergi is supported by his sons Julien and Pierre, who carry on this quest for authenticity with brilliance and precision. The estate, which produces around 30,000 bottles per year, ages and bottles all of its wines at the property. Recognised for the purity and elegance of its cuvées, Clos Saint Vincent embodies the renewal of this little-known appellation, where each bottle tells a story of passion and know-how passed down from generation to generation.

Terroirs and Vines of Clos Saint Vincent

The Clos Saint Vincent vineyard extends over around ten hectares and has a unique distinction: it is the only estate present on all three hills of the Bellet appellation, namely Crémat, Saint-Roman de Bellet and Saquier. This rare distribution offers a mosaic of exposures and terroir nuances, on the silico-calcareous soils typical of Bellet, composed of rolled Pliocene pebbles and pudding stone, mixed with very pale sand.

Situated between sea and mountain, the estate benefits from a dual influence: the sea breeze from the nearby Mediterranean and the cool wind from the Southern Pre-Alps. These marked temperature variations promote the freshness and balance of the wines, ideal conditions for the native grape varieties of Rolle, Braquet and Folle Noire, complemented by Grenache. Viticulture is conducted biodynamically, following a lunar calendar, with preparations of plant (nettle tea), animal (manure compost) and mineral (crushed silica) origin, without any chemical products.

Winemaking at Clos Saint Vincent

At Clos Saint Vincent, winemaking is gentle and precise, in total respect of the fruit. Harvests are manual, the grapes being picked at optimal ripeness and carefully sorted to retain only the best of the harvest. For the reds, vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks with manual punching down and a long maceration of up to thirty days, followed by ageing of twelve to sixteen months in French oak barrels, without fining or filtration, which may result in a noble sediment.

The whites are subject to an equally demanding process: skin maceration, pressing, cold settling, then fermentation in barrel accompanied by nearly six months of lees stirring and a year of ageing on lees. This approach, at times Burgundian in inspiration, gives the whites of Bellet a rare breadth and a vinosity that surpasses classic Provençal whites, while preserving their tension and minerality.

The cuvées of Clos Saint Vincent

Le Clos Blanc: a pure Rolle, considered the emblematic wine of the Nice area. Crafted by skin maceration and barrel fermentation with extended lees stirring, it proves full-bodied, lively and fleshy, with citrus and terpenic notes and a fine balance. This Bellet white was served at the wedding of Prince Albert and Charlene of Monaco.

Le Clos Rosé: an extraordinary rosé, 100% Braquet, a rare indigenous variety. A true UFO of the region, it captivates with its finesse, freshness and singular character, far removed from standardised Provençal rosés. It too featured at the table of the Monegasque princely wedding.

Le Clos Rouge: dominated by Folle Noire complemented by Grenache, sourced from vines planted on pebbles and pale sand. Powerful yet endowed with a floral freshness rare in the region, it offers a ruby robe tending towards carmine, a round, pulpy and saline palate, with a reserved character in its youth and promising a fine development.

Vino di Gio Blanc: the estate's great white cuvée, sourced from the oldest Rolle vines. More intense and deeper than Le Clos, it is distinguished by a rich palate, great tension and remarkable minerality. One of the finest expressions of Rolle in Provence.

Vino di Gio Rouge: the red counterpart of this exceptional range, produced from old vines. Concentrated, complex and elegant, carefully aged, it ranks among the most accomplished reds of the Bellet appellation and regularly features among the finest wines of Provence.

Le Belletan Rouge: a plot-specific cuvée of great rarity, 100% Braquet vinified as a red wine, sourced from the estate's oldest plots (around thirty-five years old) and produced in very small quantities. Its charming nose of redcurrant, wild strawberry and raspberry mingles with notes of garrigue and aromatic herbs, over supple and silky tannins, beautiful tension and a floral and peppery finish.