Clos Bellane Valréas 2013

Alex & Priya rated this wine as 86/100 with the following review:

Priya: A lighter red, like a pinot noir. Smells like caraway seeds, so cool how wine has so many aroma references! Backed by a strong floral smell, like a candy apple, though a bit austere to me when I taste it. 82 pts

Alex: A pinot-esque pure grenache, no oak to lend color to this wine, very pretty nose. Summer flower, heaps of fresh strawberries and raspberries, the sheer intensity of the grenache fruit and flecks of black pepper in the background is the giveaway that this isn't pinot. But it's refined, airy and graceful like one - great spice and acidity through to finish as well, this is proving a commonality in Stephane Vedeau's wines... 89 pts

Mymi Thesingingsommelier rated this wine as 86/100 with the following review:

So what would it take for Stéphane Vedeau, the owner and winemaker at ‘La Ferme Du Mont’ in the Southern part of Les Côtes du Rhône to even be interested in purchasing a piece of land to add to his vineyard collection? In his words, he is “terroir-attracted” and looks for fresh minerality in the soil.
Not only do you find that fresh minerality in the wines that he carefully crafts but you also taste the land and that natural harmonious balance that he skillfully maintains through the winemaking process. His wines are all organic products, free of chemicals and pesticides, the fertilizers are organic in nature and he even uses ambient or natural yeasts to ferment the wines.
When Grenache is “teasing” on the border of a Pinot Noir… This wine is 100% Grenache grown on one of Stéphane’s high altitude vineyards.
In the glass, it is truly reminiscent of a Pinot Noir with its light ruby red color.
On the nose, it is a surprising combination of aromas such as ripe strawberries, dark rye bread, celery seeds, meat and a little briny pickled mixture.
Dry with lovely acidity and soft tannin of the palate. Subtle and invigorating with strawberries, raspberries and crushed caraway seeds.
Enjoy slightly chilled on its own or with tapenade on crostinis!