The Vineyard

THE BELLET APPELLATION
The appellation covers about 650 ha, of which about 60 ha are in exploitation.
Situated on the slopes of the last foothills of the Alps, at an altitude of about 100 to 300 metres, it is entirely located in the commune of Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes department.
In the heart of the Mediterranean region, this vineyard enjoys a lot of sunshine (2820h/year), beneficial rainfall (830 mm per year) and a particular microclimate due to its location at altitude and the two winds, the Mistral and the Tramontane, which blow almost continuously in the Var valley.

THE SOIL
The silica-limestone soil is made up of “poudingue”, a mixture of rolled pebbles and fine sand. Poor and draining, they offer the vine ideal conditions for deep rooting, allowing it to regulate its supply of water and nutrients.

The vines are planted at an altitude of around 250 metres, in “Ribas” (narrow terraces) with an east/south-east exposure.
The temperature is milder here than in the Var valley. The Tramontane and the sea winds sweep across the hillsides of the estate creating a microclimate. The alpine influences also temper the excesses of the Mediterranean climate.
These conditions sanitise the vineyard and gently accompany the grapes so that they can reach optimum maturity. In addition, all the wines of the appellation are certified organic, which guarantees a better sanitary state of the vines.

THE VARIETIES
The endemic grape varieties of Bellet are honoured in the range of DOMAINE de TOASC wines and the LA TRAMONTANE cuvée.

For the rosé : Braquet, which takes its name from a local family, is paired with Grenache (a secondary grape variety) which gives it body and generosity.
For the red: Folle Noire (fuëlla nera), a grape variety well adapted to the Bellet terroir, provides tannic structure, body and colour.
For the white: Rolle (Vermentino), very expressive, floral and fruity, is blended with a small proportion of Chardonnay for a good balance.

Other grape varieties are used for the Lou Vin d’Aqui range

The vineyards are located a few kilometres from Nice on a terroir near Bellet, the commune of St Blaise.
The soil is composed of poudingue (a conglomerate of pebbles, sand and clay veins) and the winds blow continuously, which gives a very nice freshness to the wines.

For the red: Syrah, deep, spicy and dense is popular especially for its high quality wines in the Rhone Valley.

For the rosé: Grenache and Pinot Noir are ideally combined to produce a fresh and fruity rosé.