Named after Daniel Bouland’s daughter, Cuvée Mélanie is drawn from a small, steep, half-hectare plot on the slopes of Mont Brouilly. The 70-year-old vines are rooted on the area’s famous terres bleu (blue-tinted volcanic soils) within the lieu-dit of Tête Noire, directly above Château Thivin. The blue schist lends the wines of this Cru their unique mineral profile. Bouland’s 0.8-hectare parcel is planted at 12,000 vines per hectare. As with all of Bouland’s cuvées, this is a wine born of low yields and natural, whole-bunch fermentation.

As you would expect from this terroir, it’s more baritone than Chiroubles, sporting darker, plusher fruit and deeper spice notes. The ’23 has lovely deep aromatics leading to a fleshy palate crammed with dark berries and Christmas spice. No lack of testosterone this year, though its structural chassis does its job well. Une bombe! 

Named after Daniel Bouland’s daughter, Cuvée Mélanie is drawn from a small, steep, half-hectare plot on the slopes of Mont Brouilly. The 70-year-old vines are rooted on the area’s famous terres bleu (blue-tinted volcanic soils) within the lieu-dit of Tête Noire, directly above Château Thivin. The blue schist lends the wines of this Cru their unique mineral profile. Bouland’s 0.8-hectare parcel is planted at 12,000 vines per hectare. As with all of Bouland’s cuvées, this is a wine born of low yields and natural, whole-bunch fermentation.

As you would expect from this terroir, it’s more baritone than Chiroubles, sporting darker, plusher fruit and deeper spice notes. The ’23 has lovely deep aromatics leading to a fleshy palate crammed with dark berries and Christmas spice. No lack of testosterone this year, though its structural chassis does its job well. Une bombe! 

Named after Daniel Bouland’s daughter, Cuvée Mélanie is drawn from a small, steep, half-hectare plot on the slopes of Mont Brouilly. The 70-year-old vines are rooted on the area’s famous terres bleu (blue-tinted volcanic soils) within the lieu-dit of Tête Noire, directly above Château Thivin. The blue schist lends the wines of this Cru their unique mineral profile. Bouland’s 0.8-hectare parcel is planted at 12,000 vines per hectare. As with all of Bouland’s cuvées, this is a wine born of low yields and natural, whole-bunch fermentation.

As you would expect from this terroir, it’s more baritone than Chiroubles, sporting darker, plusher fruit and deeper spice notes. The ’23 has lovely deep aromatics leading to a fleshy palate crammed with dark berries and Christmas spice. No lack of testosterone this year, though its structural chassis does its job well. Une bombe! 

Most of Daniel Bouland’s old bush vines are rooted in the Morgon climat of Corcelette, in hilly Haut-Morgon to the northwest of the appellation. Within this area, there are several lieux-dits that Bouland now bottles separately, and Bellevue is one of these. It’s a particularly stony (cailloux means stones) southeast-facing site, with plenty of schist running through the granitic, sandy base soil, much like in Côte du Py. The plethora of rock on the surface traps and radiates warmth, and, as a result, this is typically Bouland’s earliest-ripening site. The vines were planted in three stages in 1937, 1951 and 1967.

This cuvée is largely made the same way as the Bellevue Sable wine—natural, whole-bunch ferment and no fining—though the vines are on different rootstocks (420A rootstock in this case, specifically designed for terroirs that are very stony and have no topsoil). Also, the vines are a touch older than in the Sable cuvée below. It’s another deep, inky expression of Morgon with layers of creamy red cherry and blue fruit flecked by blue flowers, graphite and the earthy spice of the vintage. It has more pucker and tightening tannin at this stage than the broader Sable cuvée below.

This cuvée is largely made the same way as the Bellevue Sable wine—natural, whole-bunch ferment and no fining—though the vines are on different rootstocks (420A rootstock in this case, specifically designed for terroirs that are very stony and have no topsoil). Also, the vines are a touch older than in the Sable cuvée below. It’s another deep, inky expression of Morgon with layers of creamy red cherry and blue fruit flecked by blue flowers, graphite and the earthy spice of the vintage. It has more pucker and tightening tannin at this stage than the broader Sable cuvée below.

This cuvée is largely made the same way as the Bellevue Sable wine—natural, whole-bunch ferment and no fining—though the vines are on different rootstocks (420A rootstock in this case, specifically designed for terroirs that are very stony and have no topsoil). Also, the vines are a touch older than in the Sable cuvée below. It’s another deep, inky expression of Morgon with layers of creamy red cherry and blue fruit flecked by blue flowers, graphite and the earthy spice of the vintage. It has more pucker and tightening tannin at this stage than the broader Sable cuvée below.

This wine is the first of three cuvées focusing on Corcelette’s sandy and granitic soils. This soil generates wines of great perfume and finer, rounder tannins than you find in Morgon’s more schist-influenced terroirs. Bouland separates his so-called ‘younger’ vines in this area (60 years on average, so hardly young!) from his oldest bush vines, which are bottled under the Vieilles Vignes label.

Like all Bouland’s wines, this fermented as whole bunches with indigenous yeasts, with the must foot trodden at the end to prolong the fermentation. A fine start to the trio of 2023 Corcelette-labelled cuvées, it’s more red-fruited, savoury and floral than the wines above. Revelling in the depth of the year, there is sheer pleasure in the brightness of the aromatics and the palate and so much refreshment in the smoky, vibrant close. Great focus and drive. There is enough stuffing and powdery tannin to justify cellaring for at least 3-5 years.

This wine is the first of three cuvées focusing on Corcelette’s sandy and granitic soils. This soil generates wines of great perfume and finer, rounder tannins than you find in Morgon’s more schist-influenced terroirs. Bouland separates his so-called ‘younger’ vines in this area (60 years on average, so hardly young!) from his oldest bush vines, which are bottled under the Vieilles Vignes label.

Like all Bouland’s wines, this fermented as whole bunches with indigenous yeasts, with the must foot trodden at the end to prolong the fermentation. A fine start to the trio of 2023 Corcelette-labelled cuvées, it’s more red-fruited, savoury and floral than the wines above. Revelling in the depth of the year, there is sheer pleasure in the brightness of the aromatics and the palate and so much refreshment in the smoky, vibrant close. Great focus and drive. There is enough stuffing and powdery tannin to justify cellaring for at least 3-5 years.

This wine is the first of three cuvées focusing on Corcelette’s sandy and granitic soils. This soil generates wines of great perfume and finer, rounder tannins than you find in Morgon’s more schist-influenced terroirs. Bouland separates his so-called ‘younger’ vines in this area (60 years on average, so hardly young!) from his oldest bush vines, which are bottled under the Vieilles Vignes label.

Like all Bouland’s wines, this fermented as whole bunches with indigenous yeasts, with the must foot trodden at the end to prolong the fermentation. A fine start to the trio of 2023 Corcelette-labelled cuvées, it’s more red-fruited, savoury and floral than the wines above. Revelling in the depth of the year, there is sheer pleasure in the brightness of the aromatics and the palate and so much refreshment in the smoky, vibrant close. Great focus and drive. There is enough stuffing and powdery tannin to justify cellaring for at least 3-5 years.