History
Belle-Brise is situated in the south-western corner of Pomerol, just under one kilometer from Libourne centre and a few hundred meters from railway (train Bordeaux-Paris). The soil at Belle Brise is really exceptional - small pebbles and gravel on the surface, 1 m deep layer of clay mixed with "crasse de fer" at the top of chalk layer in the underground. These soil-conditions are very atypical and quite remarkable for this part of the district, section of Réne and Toulifaut on the western side of the N89 road dividing Pomerol in two, where you normally find much sand on the surface and very little of "crasse de fer" in the subsoil. There are 2 ha of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and average age of vines is 35 years.
He is probably the only wine-grower in Pomerol and for that matter in whole Bordeaux-area, who uses these 400 liters big barriques from Armagnac for ageing the wine, and not the usual 225 liters ones. There is no chemical treatment of the vineyard. Late harvest, natural fermentation, no malolactic fermentation in barrels, no clarification with egg-whites and no filtration - this is how things are done at Belle-Brise. 100% artisan winemaking without help of oenologist! The time of the harvest is according to end of full moon (going down – last quarter).
The owner, Henri-Bruno de Coincy is a very passionate wine-grower and his way of making wine reminds us a lot of the genius-like Francois Mitjavile from Tertre Roteboeuf. In addition to his Pomerol estate, he also produces excellent Armagnac “Fontaine de Coincy” from the vineyard placed in the heart of Bas-Armagnac, which has been in family hands for 400 years.”