Roget Belland’s wines are too tasty. His wines age well, but they’re so delicious and approachable young that most don’t last long in our cellar. He uses a long, slow fermentation to produce reds with ripe fruit and beautiful aromatics.
In 2020 Belland’s friendly style compliments an unusually dense vintage, and the resulting wines are elegant, refined, and packed with flavor. Winemaker Martin Boyer has expertly balanced the lush fruit of the vintage with clean freshness and stony precision.
Belland’s Santenay 1er Gravieres 2020 is fresh and lively, with exquisite floral notes and a fine mineral nose of stones and roses. The mouth is crisp and fresh with excellent length. There’s classic juicy 2020 fruit, but it’s not a bit overripe – the stony fruit is perfectly supported by careful tannins. Burghound gave 90 points, finding it “attractively textured,” “seductive,” and “refreshing.” Serve with roast chicken or pork chops.
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Belland Santenay 1er “Gravieres” 2020
bottle price: $49