Roche de Bellene

History of the Maison Roche de Bellene

The history of Maison Roche de Bellene began with Nicolas Potel, an emblematic figure in the Burgundy wine world. Born into a family of passionate winegrowers, he inherited the know-how of his father, Gérard Potel, and forged his experience in the world's most prestigious wine estates. After spells in Australia, California and Burgundy, Nicolas perfected his approach and in 1997 founded Maison Nicolas Potel, specialising in the vinification of grands crus.

In 2008, after leaving Nicolas Potel, he set up Maison Roche de Bellene with the ambition of offering haute couture wines from exceptional terroirs. Thanks to solid partnerships with winegrowers who respect organic or sustainable practices, the company is rapidly establishing itself on the international scene. Today, Roche de Bellene distributes its wines in over 50 countries and enjoys worldwide recognition.

Terroirs and Vines of the Maison Roche de Bellene

Maison Roche de Bellene makes it a point of honour to work with old vines, at least 40 years old, in order to achieve a unique concentration of aromas. These vineyards, located in prestigious Côte d'Or appellations, cover a variety of climates from the Côte de Beaune to the Côte de Nuits.

The selected plots benefit from soils rich in limestone and clay, giving the wines remarkable minerality and elegance. Thanks to environmentally-friendly viticulture, including organic and biodynamic practices, each wine faithfully expresses the character of its terroir. Nicolas Potel and his team work closely with the winegrowers to optimise the ripeness of the grapes, limiting yields to ensure optimum quality.

Winemaking at Maison Roche de Bellene

Maison Roche de Bellene's approach to winemaking is based on a minimalist approach, aimed at preserving the pure expression of fruit and terroir. The grapes are harvested by hand and transported in small crates to preserve their integrity. After meticulous sorting, they are vinified with precision using methods that combine tradition and innovation.

Gentle pressing: vertical presses are used to gently extract the juice.

Natural fermentation: using indigenous yeasts to express the identity of the terroir.

Careful ageing: maturation in 500-litre French oak barrels to ensure harmonious ageing.

Moderate use of sulphur: to preserve the purity of the aromas and guarantee long ageing.

Nicolas Potel's aim is to produce elegant, well-structured, balanced wines that express the Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varieties.

The vintages of Maison Roche de Bellene

The Maison Roche de Bellene range includes a prestigious selection of red and white wines from the finest Burgundy terroirs. Here is an overview of the main cuvées:

Red wines

Grand Cru: Clos de la Roche; Clos de Vougeot

Premier Cru (1st Growth) : Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots; Pommard

Village: Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes ; Côte de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes ; Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes ; Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes ; Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes ; Volnay Vieilles Vignes ; Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes

White wines

Premier Cru (1st Growth) : Chassagne-Montrachet Clos Saint-Jean; Meursault Perrières; Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières

Village: Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes; Meursault; Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes; Saint-Aubin; Montagny; Saint-Véran

Thanks to Nicolas Potel's expertise and meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking, Maison Roche de Bellene has become a benchmark for great Burgundy wines. Each cuvée reveals a unique identity, testifying to the richness of the terroirs and the exceptional know-how that goes into shaping them.