Day 2 – Exploring the Wine Region of Bellet

Well before sunrise all four of us were awake and we gathered in the kitchen. We had shopped for a few breakfast and lunch items before retiring the night before, but there was major item missing. Richard needed a chocolate croissant! He was in luck because the apartment met all three real estate business rules - Location, Location, and Location!

Our place is on the fourth floor, (#3 on the elevator button) and on street level (#0 on the elevator button) there are three things that makes life easy when travelling. First, a grocery store and a very nice one indeed. It has a good selection of food and wine with a deli. Just to the left of the grocery store was a fruit stand, and “oh my” the cantaloupe we got from there was AMAZING. Most importantly, to the right of the grocery store and less than 10 steps from the apartment exit - there is a bakery! Pains & Saveurs to be exact. I looked on their web page and smiled when I saw the motto: We don’t just make good bread. We make good mornings! Never has there been a motto truer.

The four of us have known each other now for almost 35 years. We have traveled together before numerous times, and there is one thing will love and appreciate - that would be wine!

Nice offers a very unique opportunity for wine drinkers. The city is geographically near the vineyards of Provence and to north those of the Rhone. However, just a few miles northwest of the city of Nice is the smallest wine region in France – AOC Bellet.

The entire region is within the Nice city limits and is considered an urban wine region. The entire region is less than 1500 acres with less than 250 acres of vines. Olive trees and flower greenhouses compete with the grape vines for space on the hills overlooking the Mediterranean, but the biggest threat to the wine community is urban sprawl. Nice suburbs continue to grow as more and more people move the area for the wonderful climate.

We packed a picnic for the day and headed outside to meet our chauffeur (really our designated driver) for the day. Before we left on our trip, we knew we wanted to explore the Bellet wine region. The obvious problem that concerned us would be driving in the hills, the narrow roads unfamiliar with the area, and of course drinking wine. It just did not seem like a good plan to rent a car. A virtual friend came to our rescue. Rick (aka Beerman on TTOL) had been to Nice the month before and had great things to say about an uber drive he used on his trip. He forwarded me the driver’s contact info and we had solved our concern. Kamel, a warm hearted and jovial Tunisian showed up right on time. After brief introductions, we headed to our first destination climbing into the hills and Château de Crémat.

As we pulled into the gates we were blown away by the views.

We headed to the tasting room only to find it was locked, but we were a little early, so we just took in panorama.

A young gentleman showed up and said they were not open. I showed him the email of where we had made an appointment and the listed time. He immediately unlocked and was very welcoming.

Off Ramp – As we learned in Spain earlier this year, unlike the USA, most wineries require an appointment for a tasting. When planning a trip with wine tours on the itinerary, make sure you schedule before you leave and bring the email confirming your visit.

Our host, Jean, had been picking grapes since the wee hours before dawn. It was the final day of the harvest, and he was visibly tired. Albeit, he put on a smile and lead us into the basement below the Château.

He introduced us to the three major grapes of Bellet. Folle Noire (Crazy Black) whose fruit was sweet to taste, but as a wine it had moderate tannins, good acidity, and the sweetness had evaporated. Braquet, which is rarely found outside of Bellet, is used for making rosé wines. They are light bodied and very floral on the nose. And last was Rolle (aka – Vermentino in Italy), but in Bellet many wine makers will add a little Chardonnay for structure.

Back at the tasting room we had four wines awaiting us.

Jean descriptions during our tour came to life in the tasting. Each wine was enjoyable, but it was the 2014 Rolle which really shined above the rest in our tasting.

In fact, we bought a bottle and headed into the garden with our picnic of assorted cheeses.

Following lunch, we explored the property further.

From this picture of a window you may recognize a very popular logo as part of the Chateau’s seal.
The interlocking Cs that adorn all Coco Chanel’s products can be seen on the doors and windows of the Château de Crémat. The story goes that a young Coco in the 1920s was guest of the owner. She was an American socialite who made her fortune in US railroad stocks and was part owner of Le Negresco hotel in Nice. Her name was Irène Bretz and when Chanel asked to use the Château seal as her logo and Bretz allowed it – the rest is fashion history.

After the great stock market crash, Irène Bretz had lost her fortune as well as Château de Crémat. When new owners some years later revitalized the vineyards and wanted to put the crossed “Cs” seal on their wine bottle labels, Chanel said no. The logo had been protected and copyrighted, and there was no reason to fight it. The wine labels of Château de Crémat now have a beautiful sketch of the property, but no crossed “Cs”.

With some time to kill, we left Château de Crémat and Kamel gave us a tour through the hills showing us the beauty of Bellet. Small towns, curvy roads, and magnificent views greeted us around every turn. There are many trees that line the roadways throughout these hills. We stopped for a bathroom break and while walking around the grounds we felt as if we were in a tunnel of foliage.

Arriving at our next stop, Château Bellet, we pulled off the side of the road and just chilled at the gates until the winery opened following lunch. We walked down the road to the winery passing by exposed earth, which revealed how harsh the soil that these grapes reside and flourish.

It was a good time to rehydrate before the next tasting. The day was warm so Kamel and Tom found some shade on the side of the chapel and chatted while overlooking the beautiful vineyards.

Château Bellet sits at a higher elevation than our first winery and is easily recognizable by its de-sanctified chapel which sits on top the modern winery and ancient tasting room.

The winery is probably the best known in the region and differs from Château de Crémat in that it is not a family run winery. It is very much a business operation offering tours and a cellar tasting that is quite unique. During our tour, I was surprised to see that they are experimenting with amphoras vice barrels for wine aging. Talking about turning back the hands of time and doing it the old way!

The tasting room is in the crypt of the chapel and has one those amazing tasting tables that we experienced in Spain.

It was a little strange to be in a crypt where wine racks and cases now replace those who have been laid to rest.  Looking up one can see the shaft that a body would have been passed down for interment.

Chateau Ballet had sold out of their red wine, so we enjoyed two whites and two rosés.

Domaine de la Source would be our final winery of the day. This is truly a small family winery where everyone is involved. Now into the third generation the family maintains a fully organic environment and does everything from pruning to wine making.

The tasting area is modest and partially outdoors, but there is no pretense. Domaine de la Source is a working winery and fruit farm. Our tasting was provided by Carine the daughter of the owner, and we spoke briefly to Eric, her brother and winemaker, as he was busy in the tanks.

They did have one thing that was sooooooooo special for Tom. A Ferrari tractor! Low to the ground with oversized wheels, this farm machine looked like it could go anywhere. The slopes the Dalmasso’s family works for their grapes and fruit would demand all the stability and capability of this machine. We just could not figure out why it was John Deere green and not Ferrari red.

Another wonderful wine tasting of local wines and a second tasting of preserves that were made on the farm were also amazing. In fact, a bottle of the fig jam will make the trip across the Atlantic.

We loaded up Kamel’s car and headed out of the hills back into the city. It had been a full and wonderful day. We learned a lot and met some very nice folks along the way. We said our goodbyes to Kamel for a job well done as he hustled home to visit with his brother who arrived in Nice today.

Thanks again Rick for hooking us up with Kamel!

The day had zipped by and it was time for dinner. We headed out towards old town in search of a restaurant. We found one conveniently located near the apartment and ordered a bottle of Château de Crémat Rolle and a dozen oysters for a start. We ate and laughed about our day and we enjoyed some great food. We all went in separate directions with our meals, but all end in the same place – extremely stuffed!

By the time this meal was finished a walk along the Promenade was required.  People watching and the art along the Promenade is always excellent - no mater the time of day. 

We would be up and gone early on our next adventure in the morning!

So, we said, “Goodnight Moon”