This shows attractive, ripe black fruit (think black raspberry compote) and dried herb notes on the nose. After a bit of air, it opens up to a suave texture of  black cherry and blackberries mixed with stony minerality and Provençale herb flavors. This never treads into overripe territory--although the fruit is ripe, it’s fresh fruit rather than dried or stewed, and there’s a tart note that keeps it balanced, along with lifting acidity.

Clos Bellane is a small and unique domaine situated high in the hills outside Valréas, in the northernmost section of the Southern Rhône. In this area, pure limestone slopes are found among the rolling hills, peaking at over 400m of altitude. Through a combination of organic farming and cool climate fruit, the wines of this remarkable estate achieve a balance and purity of the highest caliber.

Talented winemaker Stephane Vedeau purchased Clos Bellane in 2007 with the dream of making a fresher style of Côtes du Rhône Villages. He struck gold when he came to Valréas and found Clos Bellane sitting high above the village at an altitude of over 400m. Seeing the potential in these steep and high elevation sites, he immediately converted the entire property to organic farming, with Ecocert certification achieved in 2010. With immaculate fruit at his disposal, he knew that a deft touch and minimalist approach was necessary in the cellar. Extraction is kept to an absolute minimum to allow the terroir to express itself fully, only indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation, and aging is done in a combination of tank, concrete, and large older barrels. The result is a lineup of wines with an astounding delicacy, freshness and vibrancy. In a short time, Stephane has vaulted this small domaine to the forefront of cool climate winemaking in the Southern Rhône.

Grapes for this wine are partially de-stemmed and aged in concrete tanks in order to encourage purity of fruit rather than oaky flavors.

Charcuterie, Duck, Grilled preparations, Lamb, Mushrooms, Pizza, Pork, Red Meat, Roasted Root Vegetables, Slow-smoked Barbeque/BBQ Sauce, Tapas, Tomato Sauce, Wild Game