Maison Roche de Bellene is Nicolas Potel’s négociant business. Following several years work as a négociant, Nicolas set up this latest venture in 2008, sourcing grapes for his extensive range of wines from quality-minded growers, many of whom he has collaborated with for over 15 years and work in an environmentally respectful fashion. His current range, offering wines crafted from some of the finest vineyards in the Côte d’Or, is a ‘roll call’ of top crus and appellations. For Nicolas, his ‘Maison Roche de Bellene’ label represents the “haute couture” of Burgundy. The emphasis at Roche de Bellene is on individual terroirs from vieilles vignes (old vines – 40 years or older) that are farmed responsibly. All of the growers that Nicolas works with are either organically certified or farming according to the principles of lutte raisonée (“sustainable viticulture”). This enables Nicolas to consistently produce the expressive, terroir-driven wines that is his vision. Nicolas and his team work closely with the growers to make decisions about vineyard practices, crop thinning (“green harvest”), harvest dates and the fermentation procedure. As soon as the fermentations are complete, the wines are transferred to Bellene barrels with the élevage being carried out by Nicolas at his Roche de Bellene winery.