2014 Maison Roche de Bellene Savigny-les-Beaune

2014 Maison Roche de Bellene Savigny-les-Beaune

Who: Nicolas Potel
What: 100% Pinot Noir
Where: Savigny-les-Beaune, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Tastes Like: Bright cherries and dried purple flowers on the nose, hint of barnyard.  Medium-minus in body, with silky smooth tannins.  Tastes just like you think it will from the nose.
Pairs With: Classic is duck, but excellent with poultry, rabbit sugo, Etruscan Pizza.

The Who:
Maison Roche de Bellene is the négociant (making wine with fruit from other growers) of Nicolas Potel, the well-known and highly regarded winemaker in Burgundy. Founded in 2009, the emphasis at Roche de Bellene is 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 BIO 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.
Nicolas and his winemaker work closely with the growers to make decisions about vineyard practices, crop reduction (“green harvest”), harvest dates and the fermentation regimen. As soon as the fermentations are complete, the wines are put into Bellene barrels and the élevage is done by Nicolas at the Roche de Bellene facility.  Though a negociant, Roche de Bellene focuses their production on boutique, village-level wine, with some holdings at the premier cru level.

The Where: 
Savigny-lès-Beaune is a small village near Beaune that produces delightful red and white wines under its own appellation name. Cut by a river, the vineyards on its southern side have sandy soils that result in charming, floral reds. Premier Cru vineyards on this side include Les Peuillets, Les Narbantons, Les Rouvrettes and Les Marconnets.
On Savigny’s northern side, vineyards are planted on rocky soils and produce juicy and spicy Pinot noir. The village’s best whites, all made of Chardonnay, are full on the palate and abound in texture, complexity and freshness.

The Wine:
The village of Savigny-les-Beaune is in a side valley, a bit to the west of Beaune. This wine comes from a naturally low-yielding vineyard parcel that is 64 years old. Gentle vinification with indigenous yeast and 14 months of barrel aging give the wine a very fruity aroma and a broader structure that is typical of the somewhat more rustic style of this appellation.