Domaine de Bellene Cotes de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes 2023

From a 1.6ha vineyard with vine age averaging 74 years, this is a very classy, exacting Cotes de Nuits Villages. Has the deeper colour of Nuits with lovely nose of blackcurrant/raspberry, violet, nutmeg and distant wood smoke. Very classy. DAVID LAWRASON

Domaine de Bellene is the Burgundy estate founded by Nicolas Potel in Beaune, built around an organic, old-vine-focused philosophy and a relatively traditional interpretation of Burgundy. The domaine works across a wide range of appellations in the Côte d’Or, sourcing fruit from carefully selected parcels of old vines, then vinifying with a light, transparent hand. The style is generally very classical in intent: whole-cluster influence where appropriate, indigenous yeasts, modest new oak, and an emphasis on structure, savoury detail, and vineyard character rather than overt winemaking polish.

The Bourgogne Côte de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes sits just below village level but is a particularly serious regional wine, as it draws from old vines across the Côte de Nuits rather than a single named village. These parcels are typically planted on limestone-rich clay soils, giving the wine both density and mineral tension. In the glass it usually shows darker cherry and blackberry fruit, violet lift, and earthy, slightly ferrous undertones, with fine but firm tannins and a shape that feels more structured than most entry Bourgognes. The “Vieilles Vignes” element is key it brings concentration and depth that lifts it above standard regional level.