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About
Domaine Belle, a renowned winery in the Rhône Valley, has a rich history dating back to the 1930s when Louis Belle founded the estate. Philippe Belle expanded the operation in the 1990s by building a modern winery and cellar. The domaine covers 25 hectares across six communes and three appellations, including Saint Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Hermitage. Known for its consistent and reliable production, Domaine Belle employs rigorous viticultural methods and manual harvesting to reveal the qualitative potential of its Syrah grapes. The wines are aged in a mix of old and new oak barrels, resulting in intense and fruity profiles.
History
Domaine Belle has a rich history dating back to 1769 when the local Lord of Larnage granted each family a small parcel of land with vines for their personal use. The Belle family has farmed this land ever since, through various political and social upheavals. In the 1930s, Louis Belle, Philippe’s grandfather, was instrumental in setting up the Tain l’Hermitage Co-operative, where the family’s grapes were sent until the 1990s. Albert Belle, Louis’s son, and his grandson Philippe began producing wines for themselves in the 1990s.
Philippe took over the domaine in 2003 and converted it to organic viticulture. He modernized the winery, moved back to natural yeast fermentations, and reduced the use of new oak. The vineyards cover various soil types, including alluvial clay and almost pure granite, which significantly influence the wines. Philippe’s skilled working of Syrah emphasizes each vineyard’s character, resulting in wines that combine finesse with wild, dark flavors. Today, Domaine Belle spans six communes and three appellations, with an area of 25 hectares of vines, including apricot orchards and a wine nursery managed by Philippe’s brother Jean-Claude.
Terroir
Domaine Belle is situated in the Northern Rhone Valley, specifically in the communes of Larnage, Crozes-Hermitage, Tain l'Hermitage, Pont de l'Isère, Mercurol, and Tournon. The terroir of Domaine Belle is characterized by a mix of soil types, including gravelly and clay soils. This diverse terroir contributes to the complexity and richness of the wines produced by the domaine. In particular, some of the best vines are located in the Hermitage region, where the terroir features granite, limestone, sand, and gravel soils. This unique combination of soil types allows Domaine Belle to produce wines that are both intense and fruity, reflecting the terroir's influence on the grape varieties, primarily Syrah for red wines and Marsanne and Roussanne for white wines.