Bright, tinged with pale green. Powerful aromas: toasty oak, exotic fruit - pineapple and guava -  plus floral and honey hints. Totally consistent on the palate, with the full-flavoured exoticism of the fruit counterbalanced by the nougat and macadamia notes of the oak. A big wine, well matched to strongly flavoured, herby, Mediterranean cuisine. Now-2013  

Product Code: BEL609

Damien Coste and his father created Belles Pierres (literally “beautiful stones”) in the hill-top village of St-Murviel, near St. Georges d’Orques, in 1992, having taken their land out of the local co-op. Here the grape skins take on the evanescent oils of the surrounding flowers and herbs - lavender, oregano, thyme and bay - giving fascinating Mediterranean nuances to the wines. You only have to smell these wines to be transported there!  

The first two wines are named in homage to Damien’s father, Joseph (a “clauze” is a short stone wall enclosing the fields). The strikingly unusual and distinctive oaked white is from 60% Roussanne with equal proportions of Viognier and Grenache; a big, wildly perfumed wine which can accompany strongly flavoured food. The red, basically Syrah and Grenache with some Mourvèdre, is a wine which shows that elusive scent and flavour of the garrigue, and develops earthy complexity with a year or two in bottle. This year we have also added their top red, Chant d’Ames (the “song of souls”), from 80% Syrah with Grenache and a little Mourvèdre, an impressive Northern Rhône lookalike.