With just fifteen cultivated hectares in the appellation of Bellet, Clos St. Vincent offers an idyllic snapshot of the immense quality and potential this small, 150-acre appellation has to offer. Bellet was granted AOC status in 1941 and is the only urban wine appellation in France; Clos St. Vincent lies on the eastern slopes of the appellation and is only an 11-kilometer drive from Nice on the crystalline waters of the Côte d’Azur. Nestled in between the Alps to the north and the sunny Mediterranean to the south, the escalier of terraced vines is as majestic as the natural beauty that surrounds it. Boasting soil known as Poudingue, which is comprised of large sandstone pebbles amongst silica and limestone, the terroir of the Ballet is both unique and pronounced in the wines.

It has often been said that the French are light years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to fashion and wine; this old adage is increasingly true with the wines of Clos St. Vincent. This wine has a massive cult following in France; Gault et Millau awarded Clos St. Vincent’s winemaker, Joseph Sergi, winemaker of the year in 2012, his wines grace dozens of Michelin-star wine lists across Europe and Prince Albert of Monaco served Clos St. Vincent when he wed in 2011. The wines of Bellet are not just appreciated by the modern-day European glitterati, our own beloved Francophile, Thomas Jefferson, was known to prefer rosés from the hills of Bellet.

Joseph Sergi, known endearing as, “Gio,” purchased the vineyard in 1993 and has committed to farming with certified biodynamic and organic practices. The vines are harvested manually and are picked at optimal phenolic ripeness. He ferments in stainless tanks, ages the wine for eight months then utilizes a light, gentle filtration before bottling. The varietal for this wine is 100% Braquet, which is obscure, to say the least. Allowed as a varietal for the appellation, the grape has been documented in the region since 1783 and is believed to be indigenous to Bellet, Cannes and Grasse. The varietal is known for its low-yielding crops and beautifully perfumed attributes.

The low yields result in a rich, incredibly expansive mouthfeel and deliver a serious-bodied rosé unlike anything I have ever tasted. The riveting aromatics on this wine boast ripe, wild strawberry, red currants, ripe, almost preserved red cherries, peach pit and watermelon along with rosé candy and wet herbs. The palate confirms the nose, but releases dynamic crushed stone minerality along with fresh wild thyme and lavender. The mouthfeel is rich, full-bodied, oily and deliciously explosive. This rosé is rich and round while coating every inch of the tongue. The acidity is excellent, combined with its full texture taking the celebrated style Bandol to a whole new level. Decant this wine for 20 minutes and serve at 50 degrees in Burgundy stems. It should be enjoyed anytime over the next year and is ready to drink now. This wine is rich enough to handle roast chicken, pork or a grilled salmon belly, but it will also offer an exceptional pairing with Bouillabaisse, Julia Child’s picked up this recipe while living on the Côte d’Azure with her husband.