Chateau Belle-Brise

France

About the producer

About the producer

Tucked away in Pomerol’s southwest corner, Château Belle-Brise is the ultimate insider’s Bordeaux and we are very excited that their wines are exclusive to FINE+RARE in the UK. With just a two hectare walled garden vineyard, the production is minuscule, making it one of the rarest wines in the marketplace and arguably more exclusive than either Pétrus or Le Pin.

Henri-Bruno de Coincy bought the property in 1991. He is the 20th generation of the Armagnac-making Coincy family, who have been producing Armagnac for an incredible 700+ years. Wine has been made at Château Belle-Brise since the eighteenth century, but before 1991 it was only made available to family and friends of the winemaker.

In the vineyard

In the vineyard

Stylistically this artisan Pomerol is silky and opulent, but with a finesse and almost weightless power more akin to Grand Cru Burgundy. The vineyard contains a split of around 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and old vines of up to 70 years old. The soil has gravel on the surface and beneath, a layer of clay, chalk and crasse de fer. The wines are made using biodynamic and organic principles, and employing horses to work the vines.

Pomerol is one of the great red wine appellations of Bordeaux. Historically it stands apart from other Bordeaux appellations as Pomerol has no formalised wine classification system unlike Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Saint-Émilion. While the appellation was barely acknowledged until about 50 years ago, wines like Pétrus, Le Pin and Lafleur now command higher prices than many Cru Classé properties throughout the Médoc,

In the winery

In the winery

Despite its cult following, you may be surprised by the lack of reviews from critics. Owner and winemaker Henri-Bruno de Coincy refuses to allow the critics to review his wines and has actually asked the likes of The Wine Advocate and Vinous to remove old write-ups. However if you dig deep enough, there are a few intriguing mentions that demonstrate the buzz surrounding this little-known producer. The style is simply sublime. The unique terroir and vinification methods result in a wine that delivers a sense of finesse and controlled power more common in the great Grand Crus of Burgundy and more specifically Musigny. As Jancis Robinson puts it “Château Belle-Brise release just a handful of bottles each vintage. At just 2 hectares in size and with similar production levels to Château Le Pin, it is so elusive it is basically unknown to the general public. Within the upper echelons of the world’s greatest restaurants though, the wines have an intense, nearly obsessive following."

The 2019 Vintage

The 2019 Vintage

A few words from Henri-Bruno de Coincy, owner of Château Belle-Brise, on the 2019 vintage.

Were there any notable weather events that affected the vines this year?

There were no unusual events outside of a persistent sun and a warm summer. This was tempered by some light rain in September, which brought a welcome freshness to the grapes for those who waited to harvest, which was our case.

Were there any vintage specific issues or characteristics that affected the blend? How did each of the varieties turn out in 2019?

The balance between Merlot and Cabernet is perfect this year, the Cabernet having provided the necessary acidity to the Merlot due to the voluntary waiting to harvest after the rain.

How did you work up to final blend – can you share your process this year?

For the final blend we work as a team; what prevails is to always bring out the quintessence of the fruit and velvet in the mouth.

What do you feel has had the biggest effect on the final taste profile of the 2019 vintage?

Belle-Brise covers a very small area (2 hectares) allowing us to manage each step of the vinification manually, which all contribute to produce an exceptional vintage. We hand pick all the grapes in one day and they are then hand sorted. We brought to the cellar a perfectly healthy ripe harvest and this translate into the 2019 vintage.

How does 2019 compare to other vintages?

The aromas of blackberry, the very marked colour towards the dark, the opulence in the mouth with already this velvety mouthfeel specific to Belle-Brise makes 2019 an exceptional vintage. 2018 was already a great millesime; 2019 is even more complete.

Read the full report: Bordeaux 2019 A Vintage Preview

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About the producer

Tucked away in Pomerol’s southwest corner, Château Belle-Brise is the ultimate insider’s Bordeaux and we are very excited that their wines are exclusive to FINE+RARE in the UK. With just a two hectare walled garden vineyard, the production is minuscule, making it one of the rarest wines in the marketplace and arguably more exclusive than either Pétrus or Le Pin.

Henri-Bruno de Coincy bought the property in 1991. He is the 20th generation of the Armagnac-making Coincy family, who have been producing Armagnac for an incredible 700+ years. Wine has been made at Château Belle-Brise since the eighteenth century, but before 1991 it was only made available to family and friends of the winemaker.

In the vineyard

Stylistically this artisan Pomerol is silky and opulent, but with a finesse and almost weightless power more akin to Grand Cru Burgundy. The vineyard contains a split of around 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and old vines of up to 70 years old. The soil has gravel on the surface and beneath, a layer of clay, chalk and crasse de fer. The wines are made using biodynamic and organic principles, and employing horses to work the vines.

Pomerol is one of the great red wine appellations of Bordeaux. Historically it stands apart from other Bordeaux appellations as Pomerol has no formalised wine classification system unlike Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Saint-Émilion. While the appellation was barely acknowledged until about 50 years ago, wines like Pétrus, Le Pin and Lafleur now command higher prices than many Cru Classé properties throughout the Médoc,

In the winery

Despite its cult following, you may be surprised by the lack of reviews from critics. Owner and winemaker Henri-Bruno de Coincy refuses to allow the critics to review his wines and has actually asked the likes of The Wine Advocate and Vinous to remove old write-ups. However if you dig deep enough, there are a few intriguing mentions that demonstrate the buzz surrounding this little-known producer. The style is simply sublime. The unique terroir and vinification methods result in a wine that delivers a sense of finesse and controlled power more common in the great Grand Crus of Burgundy and more specifically Musigny. As Jancis Robinson puts it “Château Belle-Brise release just a handful of bottles each vintage. At just 2 hectares in size and with similar production levels to Château Le Pin, it is so elusive it is basically unknown to the general public. Within the upper echelons of the world’s greatest restaurants though, the wines have an intense, nearly obsessive following."

The 2019 Vintage

A few words from Henri-Bruno de Coincy, owner of Château Belle-Brise, on the 2019 vintage.

Were there any notable weather events that affected the vines this year?

There were no unusual events outside of a persistent sun and a warm summer. This was tempered by some light rain in September, which brought a welcome freshness to the grapes for those who waited to harvest, which was our case.

Were there any vintage specific issues or characteristics that affected the blend? How did each of the varieties turn out in 2019?

The balance between Merlot and Cabernet is perfect this year, the Cabernet having provided the necessary acidity to the Merlot due to the voluntary waiting to harvest after the rain.

How did you work up to final blend – can you share your process this year?

For the final blend we work as a team; what prevails is to always bring out the quintessence of the fruit and velvet in the mouth.

What do you feel has had the biggest effect on the final taste profile of the 2019 vintage?

Belle-Brise covers a very small area (2 hectares) allowing us to manage each step of the vinification manually, which all contribute to produce an exceptional vintage. We hand pick all the grapes in one day and they are then hand sorted. We brought to the cellar a perfectly healthy ripe harvest and this translate into the 2019 vintage.

How does 2019 compare to other vintages?

The aromas of blackberry, the very marked colour towards the dark, the opulence in the mouth with already this velvety mouthfeel specific to Belle-Brise makes 2019 an exceptional vintage. 2018 was already a great millesime; 2019 is even more complete.

Read the full report: Bordeaux 2019 A Vintage Preview

2018 En Primeur Release of Pomerol's Chateau Belle-Brise

The 2018 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign reached new heights this week with the surprise release of one of Saint-Emilion’s top estates - Chateau Angelus. As well as offering a pleasing reduction in price versus their last two vintages, this welcome surprise set the tone for potentially one of the most exciting En Primeur campaigns ever. Last week our first releases ...

ON April 18, 2019

Nicolas Potel on Roche de Bellene 2018

“2018 is the best vintage I have ever made… What I love about the 2018s is the shock every time I taste it… It is a vintage I have been dreaming about for many years”. Nicolas Potel Nicolas grew up in Burgundy, learning his skills as a vigneron under the guidance of his father, the highly respected Gerard Potel at ...

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BY FINE+RARE,

ON March 12, 2020

“Château Belle-Brise release just a handful of bottles each vintage. At just 2 hectares in size and with similar production levels to Château Le Pin, it is so elusive it is basically unknown to the general public. Within the upper echelons of the world’s greatest restaurants though, the wines have an intense, nearly obsessive following."

Jancis Robinson

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Price from

Case format

2018 Belle Brise

£625.00

6x75cl

12x37.5cl

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£641.00

12x37.5cl

-

£641.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

6x75cl

-

10 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£625.00

6x75cl

-

£625.00

10 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2017 Belle Brise

£400.00

3L

3L

-

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£400.00

3L

-

£400.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2016 Belle Brise

£511.00

3L

6x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 37 Marketplace

£745.00

6x75cl

-

£745.00

2 Immediate | 37 Marketplace

3xMags

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£745.00

3xMags

-

£745.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

3L

-

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£511.00

3L

-

£511.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2015 Belle Brise

£695.00

6x75cl

6x75cl

-

8 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£695.00

6x75cl

-

£695.00

8 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2012 Belle Brise

£123.00

Bts

Bts

-

71 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£123.00

Bts

-

£123.00

71 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2011 Belle Brise

£120.00

Bts

Bts

-

44 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£120.00

Bts

-

£120.00

44 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

1997 Belle Brise

£38.00

Bts

Bts

-

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£38.00

Bts

-

£38.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

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