Domaine Belle has roots in Hermitage that date back several generations. The estate was founded by Louis Belle in the 1930’s, and in the 90's Philippe Belle built his first modern winery and cellar. The Wine Advocate cites "Domaine Belle is one of the most consistent and reliable producers of Crozes Hermitage. While the family doesn't shy away from the use of oak, there's either less new oak than there used to be, and the wines are more intense and fruity."
Presentation
Location
The domaine extends to 25 hectares in 6 communes and three appellations, Saint Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage. Low yields in the vineyards (30-35 hl/ha) and of course the wonderful climate help produce grapes of exceptional quality. This soil is composed of white limestone clay also known as Kaolin, Granite and Galet stone.
Terroir
Permeable brown sandy-stony soil. South-facing limestone terroir
Winemaking
Partial destemming, cold maceration in stainless steel tanks, punching of the cap and temperature control.
Ageing
Aged in oak barrels, with the proportion of new barrels varying according to the vintage.
Varietal
Syrah : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : 14,5 % vol.
GM : No.
Contains sulphites. Does not contain egg or egg products. Does not contain milk or milk-based products.
Advice
Serving
16°C/ 60°F
Ageing potential
Over 15 years
Tasting
Ripe, almost candied fruit, with lovely spicy, floral notes. Cherry, pepper, rose and cocoa blend in perfect harmony. A dense, elegant wine, combining power and structure. Very long finish.
Food pairings
Venison, wild boar, red meat, cheese, venison stew.
Reviews
"Another tremendous effort from the Belle family, the 2018 Hermitage originates from parcels in Les Murets and Péléat. Inky purple, it offers up hints of smoked meat and toasty oak but backs those with waves of intense mixed berries and black olives, plus notes of licorice. Full-bodied, concentrated and powerful, it reveals amazing length on the finish, where notes of crushed stone and licorice provide an invigorating sense of freshness."
"A powerful, full-bodied, straight-up awesome wine, the 2018 Hermitage from Domaine Belle comes from the more limestone soils of the Les Murets lieu-dit and spent more than two years in barrel. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a smorgasbord-like array of kirsch, jammy blackberries, acacia flowers, violets, ground pepper, and cured meats. With full-bodied richness, a rich, opulent, incredibly sexy texture, sweet tannins, and a great finish, we're in blockbuster territory, and along with the 2017, it's the finest Hermitage I've tasted from this domaine. It has another 15-20 years (probably longer) of prime drinking."
