Domaine de Bellene – Nicolas Potel, in other words

Summertime and tastings. This week I attended a presentation of Domaine de Bellene by the founder of the estate Nicholas Potel, a well-known name in the Burgundian wine world.

It was a lovely and quite extravagant tasting at the fine old Hotel d’Angeleterre in Copenhagen – or to be precise at the restaurant Marchal, who had prepared a delightful lunch to go with the wines.

Domaine de Bellene – The wines at the d’Angleterre tasting

Domaine de Bellene is the creation of Nicholas Potel – the son of the legendary Gerard Potel of Domaine Pousse d’Or. Nicholas Potel is a big name in Burgundian winemaking, and he is known for constantly challenging the borders of winemaking in Burgundy.

The Danish importer of Domaine de Bellene is Theis Vine, which was present with its managing director John Kröigaard heading the team and introducing Nicholas Potel. A fine tasting indeed .. with good opportunities to talk with the featured guest.

The wines were served in sets accompanying the menu created by the excellent creative team at the Marchal restaurant.

The menu…

Nicolas Potel – a short presentation

Nicolas Potel’s story began in Volnay, where his family ran and owned the Domaine de la Pousse d’Or. Nicolas in his youth worked with some of the great winemakers in Burgundy to prepare himself to take over the family estate. Sadly, his father Gerard died in 1997 following the sale of the estate, before Nicolas could follow in his father’s footsteps.

Nicolas therefore began a negociant business – a successful endeavour – that was sold in 2004 to the Cottin brothers of Labouré-Roi, including the comercial name “Nicolas Potel.”

A few years later Potel began a new negociant business – Maison Bellene – with a Domaine Bellene framework creating a vehicle to explore and implement his ideas and theories about vinegrowing, including creating old-selection massale parcels and working with old rootstocks to establish a stronger base for the future vineyards of Burgundy.

Potel is now running both lines of production from his estate in Beaune, and the tasting at Marchal focussed on the wines of Domaine de Bellene (the old historic name of Beaune) as esplained here:

“The origin of the domaine name: “Bellene” comes from the name of the city of Beaune. In the first century of our era, this city was named “Belena” after the God of the Sun “Belenos,” then “Beaulne” and finally Beaune, which reflects our desire to make the domaine a reference for the wines of Beaune.”

The first set, with the snacks

The first set was two whites – the Bourgogne Clos de la Chapelle 2017 and the Côte de Nuits Villages Monts de Boncourts 2016.

Domaine de Bellene, Bourgogne Blanc Clos de la Chapelle 2017

The Bourgogne Clos de la Chapelle is a quite generous Bourgogne blanc, richly founded with a relatively dense stance. A fine wine offering both density and freshness with good balance, reflecting the charm of 2017. Served slightly on the warm side for my taste … the only slight niggle at this fine lunch.

(Drink From 2019) – Good – (85 – 86p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

To the more serious and delightfully expressive Côte de Nuits Villages Blanc…

Domaine de Bellene, Côte de Nuits Villages Blanc Monts de Boncourts 2016

Côte de Nuits Villages Monts de Boncourts 2016 is back in cool form – a gorgeous mineral note of crushed stones from the Comblanchien area. Delightful balance with fine concentration – although somewhat reductive. Still, a lovely, expressive, mineral wine that was really showing well today – a personal favourite. 50% new oak according to the fact sheets.

(Drink From 2019) – Good++ – (87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

The second set with Sole with Asparagus and Chanterelles

The second set, served with the fish, is a collection of “lesser” but exciting appellations – a speciality of Nicolas Potel, who is expert at finding “affordable” vineyards of high quality that produce Burgundies the average consumer can afford.

Domaine de Bellene, Saint-Romain Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2016

Saint-Romain Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2016 is from 55-year-old vines, with 25% new oak. Fine intensity, elegant and well structured, with a slight hint of Saint-Romain generosity. I like the balance here – delightful minerality and length.

(Drink From 2019) – Good – (86 – 87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Santeney Blanc Les Charmes Dessus 2016

Santeney Les Charmes Dessus 2016 is a classic – very fine saline minerality unfolding. It’s a quite serious and intense wine – 30% new oak – from young vines planted in 2004. Not the very best match for the dish, as the saline minerality collided with the beurre blanc in this case, but a personal favourite nevertheless.

(Drink From 2022) – Good++ – (87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Savigny-les-Beaune Blanc 2016

The Savigny-les-Beaune is a delightful match for the sole and asparagus – wonderfully harmonious with 30% new oak to support the wine. Fine and discrete minerality work very well – intense and dense. It is made from the terroir located to the right entering Savigny from Beaune, just past the old Domaine Dublere.

(Drink From 2022) – Very Good – (87 – 88p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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The third set, with Grilled Lobster with Tomato, Saffron and Basil

The third set, with the lobster, is a collection of reds starting with the entry-level Bourgogne Rouge and ending with the Volnay. A quite spicy dish also with some sweet notes – a charming dish and an interesting challenge for the wines.

Domaine de Bellene, Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes “Maison Dieu” 2016

This is a big Bourgogne rouge, with fine density and intensity. Quite closed when poured, it unfolded nicely with some air. A bit polished and perhaps lacking a bit in character and edge.

(Drink From 2022) – Above Average – (84p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Côte de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes 2016

This is from two plots in the Comblanchien area – Aux Montagnes (planted in 1946) and Les Boulardes (1954). Again lovely minerality – crushed stones – with fine balance and good length, but above all some fine hedonistic qualities. It’s drinking very well indeed.

(Drink From 2022) – Good++ – (87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Saint-Romain Villages Rouges “Sous le Chateau” 2016

The Saint-Romain is an enjoyable effort, quite intense and with a fine mineral backbone. The tannins are a bit forward currently, although working very well with the the relatively intense spicy notes of the lobster.

(Drink From 2024) – Good++ – (87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Volnay “Le Grands Poisots” 2016

The Volnay is an elegant and very precise wine, offering terrific energy on the midpalate. A medium-weight Volnay, it shows delightful balance and a mineral focus. Quite a step up from the previous wines – and not the obvious choice for the relatively spicy dish – but nonetheless a very precise wine. From the area below Volnay near the RN974.

(Drink From 2026) – Very Good – (88 – 89p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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The fourth and last set, with Pigeon and Foie Gras

The fouth set – with a fine pigeon – started with the NSG 2011 and concluded with the Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 2015.

Domaine de Bellene, Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2011

The 2011 NSG is starting to unfold – some notes of sous-bois and nice minerality. It has medium intensity and, while drinking quite well currently, will be even better in 2-5 years. It’s an enjoyable glass and a fine 2011 village wine – with only a slight hint of the green notes found in many of the wines from this vintage. From the area north of the village, with 50% new oak.

(Drink From 2022) – Good++ – (87p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Chaignots V.V. 2016

From the Chaignots vineyard north of the village. This is a fine NSG – intense with a mineral reference to the Vosne side of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Elegant, with a fine hint of the well-integrated oak (50% new) and a nice future ahead. Slightly polished now, but will expand in complexity as the years pass.

(Drink From 2027) – Very Good – (88 – 89p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 2016

The Vosne Village Vieilles Vignes is from Les Quartiers de Nuits just below Echezeaux. This is a step up from the Chaignots – a deep and intense wine. A clear reference to its Flagey-Echezeaux origin – rich and quite velvet, with fine potential for ageing.

(Drink From 2028) – Very Good – (89 – 90p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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Domaine de Bellene, Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 2015

The last wine is the top cuvée of Domaine de Bellene – the Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots. This is from the top end – but southern part – of Les Suchots, and offers a delightfully intense mineral note. It’s an intense and polished wine, with its silky texture coming from very old vines (planted in 1937). It will require some years to unfold as it is absorbs its 50% new oak. The 2015s are rich – and the oak will be welcome in this big wine as it matures. It will profit from a bit more age.

(Drink From 2028) – Fine+ – (91 – 93p) – Tasted 26/06/2019

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A comment or two

I do respect the attraction of – especially – the lesser wines of Domaine de Bellene, as very high quality and good value is found in most of them. Many interesting wines and terroirs are represented in the Domaine de Bellene portfolio.

The lesser- and medium-range wines seem perfect for restaurant use – they are often very typical of their terroirs – and they do unfold beautifully quite early on.

The top end cuvées do however need some time – but given proper cellaring they will be rewarding in a hedonistic sense.

Wine from:
Theis Vine
Charlottenlund Stationsplads – 2920 Charlottenlund
WWW: Theis Vine