Domaine Eyguestre is a family business which was created in 1919.
Originally, the estate was a farm operated by Laurent's great-grandfather, Louis Bellion.
His grandfather Ismaël enlarged the farm and turned to mixed farming (cereals, olives, orchards, vines).
His father, Lucien, bet everything on the vine by taking his production to the cooperative cellar.
Laurent Bellion took over the operation in 2000 and decided to create his own estate in 2011.
Today, Domaine Eyguestre has 19 hectares of vines and 300 olive trees.
Under stricter requirements than for the Côtes du Rhône Villages, twenty of the communes of the appellation are authorized to append their respective village name on the label.
With around 5,500 hectares under cultivation, the average yield is approximately 37 hectoliters per hectare.
The minimum required alcoholic strength is fixed at 12.5% for the reds and 12% for the whites and rosés.
This mountain village is located on the eastern side of the river Oèveze.
It is ancient regarding wine as Pliny the Elder mentions it in his natural history.
However it is only recently that the 220 ha. of the appellation has become interesting.
The terroir is interesting - chalk at altitude (near the Dentelles de Montmirail), resulting in fine wines from the independent producers.
Laurent Bellion was fortunate to be recommended by Decanter in 2015 and was named Young Talent of the Rhône Valley that same year.
The cuvée La Source has been selected three times to be included in the "Le Petit Ballon" box.
La Revue du Vin de France, in its various editions, has regularly cited the Vins Laurent Bellion, notably rating Laurent Bellion blanc at 14.5/20.
The estate's cuvées also consistently receive excellent ratings from prominent international tasters.
This includes Robert Parker, Decanter magazine, and Wine Enthusiast, all of whom have awarded his cuvées scores of over 90 points.
This wine displays a deep, brilliant dark garnet colour.
The nose reveals complex aromas of candied fruits, spices, and caramel.
On the palate, dark fruits intertwine with smoky notes of vanilla and cocoa, offering a round and silky texture.
The finish is long and flavorful, marked by a beautiful aromatic richness.
This generous and complex wine is perfect with slow-cooked dishes like beef bourguignon or hare stew. It also pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, such as a pepper-crusted beef tenderloin or spiced lamb chops.
For cheese lovers, try it with a blue cheese or a well-aged Morbier.
Finally, for a sweet touch, a dark chocolate fondant would beautifully enhance the wine's cocoa notes.
