Bellet: Domaine de la Source Rouge 2018
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A ruby-coloured, spicy, herb-tinged red Bellet wine that it is a delight to drink and shows high-quality, distinctive, artisanal winemaking at its best. It is dense and spicy with a fine concentration of dark, autumnal fruit and an attractive bouquet of dark cherries and berries.
Most of Bellet's production adorns the wine lists of Nice's more knowledgeable eating establishments, so at Yapp Brothers, we consider ourselves very fortunate to have these wines on our list. Certified organic.
Completing the Dalmasso's commendable triumvirate of Bellet wines is the Domaine de la Source rouge made from a blend of Folle Noir and Grenache Noir. It too is a great food wine - a leg of lamb liberally studded with garlic and rosemary and cooked low and slow would be an ideal accompaniment. Similarly local speciality ‘La Daube Niçoise’, a slow-cooked beef stew with Provençale vegetables, mushrooms, brandy and cayenne pepper.
In existence for at least 2000 years, wine production in Bellet has always been very small but caters for the discerning palates of home-owners and tourists on the Côte d’Azur, Monaco and Monte Carlo. The western-facing vertiginous slopes perch on terraces on top of a mountainous ridge that reaches to the sea in the city of Nice. Bellet wines are highly regarded and were favourites of Louis XIV and the US President, Thomas Jefferson.
| Style | Red Wine, Sec, Medium-bodied, Non Sparkling |
|---|---|
| Wine Region | Provence, Bellet |
| Grape Variety (Cépage) | Folle Noir, Grenache Noir |
| Food & Wine Matching | Beef, Lamb |
| Viticulture | Organic |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Cellarage | Approachable from bottling, it will age well for 8 to 10 years. |
| Vinification | The grapes are handpicked at the end of September from vines grown on stony soil with a high mineral content. The grapes go through the process of malolactic fermentation and are fermented in vats for 10 days and matured in French oak barrels for 12 months before being bottled on the estate. |
| Alcohol By Volume (%) | 14.5 |
Domaine de la Source (Eric & Carine Dalmasso)
Known as Nice's 'urban' vineyard, Bellet's total vineyard stretches to 70ha but is continually under pressure for urban development given spiraling land costs in the area. It's a hotspot for terrific wines using local grapes and small artisan producers, largely making wines for the voracious consumption of the Riviera.
High above the A8 autoroute, siblings Eric and Carinne Dalmasso's compact operation of 7 hectares of organically-farmed vines provides an enthusiastic welcome to travellers brave enough to venture up the tortuously winding route. The local Braquet grape forms the basis for their rosé and red (with local staples Grenache and Folle Noir), alongside 100% Rolle for their white.
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