Nicolas Potel

Nicolas Potel grew up on the ‘Domaine de la Pousse d'Or’ estate in Volnay, where his father Gérard was a winemaker, it was he who, in 1965, first installed a sorting table in Burgundy and set new standards for hygiene in the cellars. Before taking over the family business, Nicolas underwent extensive training: he worked at Moss Wood and Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River, at Dehlinger in California’s Russian River Valley, at Domaine Matrot in Meursault, and at Domaine Georges Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny. 

When Gérard died of a heart attack in 1997, the family was forced to sell Pousse d'Or. In response, Nicolas set up his own trading firm. By 2008, its turnover had reached nine million euros until investors ousted him in 2009. He started from scratch, founding Domaine de Bellene in Beaune in 2005 and naming it after the ancient Celtic sun god from whom the name Beaune itself derives.

Vineyards

Domaine de Bellene covers 24 hectares located in Bonnes, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Saint-Romain, Santenay, Volnay and Vosne-Romanée, with plots in nine different Premier Cru vineyards. The main focus has always been on age. In the Bonnes Premier Cru Les Grèves, 104-year-old vines grow and Potel has already carried out mass selection from this vineyard to preserve its genetic heritage.

Terroir

The négociant division of Maison Roche de Bellene sources wine from growers in Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée and Puligny-Montrachets, covering the full spectrum of Burgundy’s hilly limestone and clay soils. Potel paid particular attention to lesser-known appellations: Saint-Romain, Savigny-lès-Beaune, and Santenay, villages where old vines and good terroir were often underrated.

Grape varieties

Pinot Noir dominates the range, although Chardonnay is produced from grapes grown in vineyards such as Meursault, Bon Premier Cru Le Perrier and Saint-Romain. Burgundy Aligoté is also produced. 

Winemaking

The hand-harvested grapes were placed in small containers and gently pressed in a vertical basket press, with around 40% of the berries, depending on the harvest, destemmed. Fermentation and maturation took place in 500-litre French oak barrels. Potel was cautious with new oak: 10% for ‘village’ wines, 20% for premier cru, 30–50% for grand cru. His cellar was powered by solar energy, and grape marc was used for heating. The wines were made without additives in order to express the character of the terroir. 

Nicolas Potel died in June 2025 at the age of 55. He left behind some of Burgundy’s most authentic wines and a model of how to make them.