Chateau de Bellet

The History of Bellet Castle

The Barons of Bellet planted their first vines during the 18th century. Coming from Savoy, this family gave its name to the Bellet appellation. After the Second World War, the Barons de Bellet decided to restructure their vineyard and return to the old and local grape varieties that are so pleasing on this terroir: Rolle, Braquet and Folle Noire.

The estate is established on the highest plots surrounding the old family chapel. This structure, built as a tribute to Agnès Roissard de Bellet in 1873, still attests to the family's imprint and today serves as a tasting room and store for lovers of the estate's great wines.

The Château de Bellet vineyard

The Château de Bellet vineyard occupies a very special place, between the sea and the mountains. It covers a surface of 13 hectares. Its terroir is nourished by the influences of the sea and benefits from the coolness of its altitude. In this part of France, the vines, facing south-southwest, enjoy 300 days of sunshine per year. The alternation of alpine and sea winds contributes to a slow maturation which gives the wines of Château de Bellet a remarkable elegance.

The vineyard is arranged in terraces that are called restanques in the region. They have been sculpted over the centuries, right on the pudding. This compact silico-limestone cement appeals to the vines because of the rolled Pliocene pebbles of which it is composed and which are drained from the Alpine peaks.

The vineyard of Château de Bellet is mainly composed of three grape varieties that are used to blend the organic wines of the estate. Rolle, the local appellation of Vermentino, is dedicated to the production of white wine, while Braquet and Folle Noire are reserved for making red and rosé wines.

Braquet, planted by a very old family from Nice, has always been part of the Bellet wine blends. As for the Folle Noire, it would take its name from its lunatic character! A few feet of Chardonnay and Grenache Noir complete the vineyard.

The Château de Bellet vineyard is managed with the greatest respect for the terroir and the environment. The methods are gentle, developed from natural products and manual work and allow the production of organic farming wines.

The wines of Château de Bellet

Chateau du Bellet vintages

- White : 95% Rolle and 5% Chardonnay
- Rosé : 100% Braquet
- Red : 61% Folle Noire, 22% Braquet and 17% Grenache Noir

La Chapelle Cuvées

- White : 100% Rolle
- Rosé : 100% Braquet
- Red : 75% Folle Noire and 25% Grenache Noir

Agnès Cuvées

- White : 90% Rolle and 10% Chardonnay
- Red : 100% Folle Noire