Roger Belland runs the domaine of the same name with his daughter Julie. The fifth-generation family business extends over 23 hectares of the famous terroir of the Côte de Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy.
Here the Domaine Roger Belland cultivates Premier and Grand Crus from Les Maranges, Santenay, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay and Pommard.
The domaine's cellars are in Santenay, on the southern tip of the Côte de Beaune, not far from the eponymous town of Beaune.
With respect for the environment and the prime conditions already prevailing for the domaine's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines, work in the vineyard is seen as "supervising viticulture".
The vineyards of the domaine, which are dominated by clay and lime, are cultivated with care, the focus is on sustainable management, and seals of approval, which are seen as restrictive, are dispensed with.
In order not to be dependent on chemical agents, the work begins from the bottom up: selected grasses such as clover and alfalfa help protect at the microbial level.
Likewise, these grasses act as competitors to vines, forcing them to seek their resources deeper in the soil, ultimately making them more resilient.
How do you say it so beautifully; stressed vines, better wines. puh!
The gently harvested grapes are vinified in the domaine's modern cellar under regulated temperatures and then spend sufficient time in traditional French oak barrels.
Malolactic fermentation and bâtonnage (bâton = stick historically used to stir the lees in the barrel) characterize the structure and complexity of the domaine's wines.
The result: a wide range of Liue-dits, via Premier Crus, to the world-famous Grand Cru Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet.
A great place to start is the more affordable lieu-dits Santenay Comme Dessus, on the white side, and Santenay Les Charmes, on the red side.
These are wines from 25-35 year old vines that are drinkable young and wonderfully open. New, intensive wooden barrels are strictly avoided here so as not to suppress the wine.
For patient connoisseurs, it goes one step further, to the crus of the domain, from Santenay-Beauregard and Volnay-Santenots to the legendary crus of Meursault, Puligny- and Chassagne-Montrachet.
These intensive wines from old vines serve as terroir ambassadors of Burgundy, which, due to their intensive extract and the targeted use of new wooden barrels, can be stored for a few years in order to show their full potential.
Umami yeast-salt, citrus, pineapple and toffee dance on the palate. Cherry, currant, mushroom, peppery spice and creamy, dark chocolate pack a punch, you don't want to let these wines go so quickly.