Bellet wine: Nice hillside vineyard and the 2026 harvest
The grape harvest on the hills of Nice in 2026 began in the first days of September — earlier than usual. Bellet is the only appellation in France located entirely within the boundaries of a major city: about 55 hectares of terraces above the Var valley, nine estates and grape varieties that are found almost nowhere else.
Harvest 2026: the heat hastened ripening
The summer of 2026 was hot and dry, and the grapes ripened ahead of schedule, says ICI Azur. The white and rosé grapes are being picked first, the red varieties are still maturing. Old vines withstood the heat better, the young plantings suffered more, but Château de Bellet and Domaine de la Source are happy with the crop: according to the winemakers, the berries were not harmed by the heatwave.
The white and rosé wines from the 2026 vintage will go on sale in spring 2027. The red, which accounts for about 40% of production, needs another year of ageing.
An urban vineyard with an ancient history
Wine has been made on the hills of Nice since the time of Greek Nikaia, and in the Middle Ages the local abbeys — above all Saint-Pons — were involved in the wine trade. In the 18th century the barons de Bellet planted vines here — their name is borne by both the château and the appellation, writes Côte d’Azur France. During the Revolution the village of Saint-Roman-de-Bellet was even renamed “Bacchus”.
Hard times followed: the phylloxera outbreak of 1885 and two world wars almost destroyed the vineyards, and many owners switched to carnations — flowers then brought more money. Bellet was granted AOC status in November 1941; it is one of the oldest appellations in France. A real revival began after 1946, and from the 1970s the distinctiveness of the local wines was championed by Ghislain de Charnacé of Château de Bellet.
Terraces above the Var and local varieties
The vineyards occupy terraces on the left bank of the Var at an altitude of 200–400 metres, on the Crémat and Saquier hills. The soil is poudingues — sand-cemented pebbles from the late Pliocene. There are about 2,760 hours of sunshine a year.
Of the 650 hectares allocated to the appellation, about 55 are planted. The whole appellation produces less than 1,100 hectolitres a year: in 2024 — 1,099 hectolitres, of which 40% is red, 40% white and 20% rosé.
Main Bellet varieties:
- braquet — grows in France only here, gives rosés notes of violet and gorse;
- folle noire — together with braquet makes up at least 60% of the blend of red and rosé wines, to which cinsault and grenache are added;
- rolle (also known as vermentino) — at least 60% in the white wines, with floral and citrus notes.
Nine estates and where to taste
Bellet wines are made by nine producers: Château de Bellet, Château de Crémat, Clos Saint-Vincent, Domaine Saint-Jean, Via Julia Augusta, Collet de Bovis, Toasc, Vinceline and Domaine de la Source. Most of them welcome visitors.
- Château de Bellet (482 route de Saquier) — the shop and tasting room are set up in a former chapel and open year-round. A tour with tasting costs €20 per adult. From 2 May to 30 September 2026 tours in French run at 12:00 and 17:00, in English at 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00; at other times — at 11:00, 14:00 and 15:30 by appointment.
- Château de Crémat — they show the château, the Roman cellars and the winery, and pour the local organic wines.
- Domaine de la Source — a family estate now run by the third generation: 7 hectares of vines grown to organic standards.
What to pair with Bellet
The best pairings are local: red Bellet is served with Nice-style beef daube, rosé with socca, the chickpea-flour pancake. For more of the region’s food traditions, see our pieces on the harvest festival in Provence and the forgotten recipes of Grasse.
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Photo: Gonzalo Acuña / Pexels