Our history

Our History

Some twenty years ago, nobody could have imagined what the Belot family was goiing to bring
about.

In fact, the realisation of a vineyard was the result of a daydream of our father Jacques who wanted, for his own pleasure, work on some wine plants during his leasure hours, convinced as he was that in this region one could create great wines.

Still teacher in 1985 he decides to get involved in a passionate adventure, planting a real quality vineyard. He starts a plantation in a very rocky soil. At that time it was not done to buy allready planted vineyards. Therefore he decided to start from what is called "garrigue" which needed to be cleaned and laboured and it was there that started what is the Belot Vineyard today. After some visits to other wine regions in order to see what could be done best, one started to plant Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.

At that time, everybody considered this project totally out of proportion and a little crazy but history has learned that nowadays these parcels bring forth the grapes that are selected for the production of great wines as there is the "Argeliere", with a wink to the typical clay/ limestone like soil in the area which we would love to show you. The first wines are produced in the cellars of a neighbouring winemaker which gave a chance to pick up some winemaking practice.

In the year 1995 a big change takes place when, after years of study, Karine and Lionel join also the family domaine.

In 1997 we get a chance, a once in a lifetime opportunity. The family is looking around for a cave to produce the wines and discovers.....Le Tendon ! At the foot of the magnificent Col de Fontjun, close to the old royal forest Bousquet we found a wine domaine, even more, an haven of peace, an historical place where the former owners were already witnessing the arrival of Louis XIV who used this domaine as meeting place during the royal huntings in the Languedoc. The place is in bad shape, the 18 hectares of vineyard had not been looked after for years, the cave had not been used for a longtime. Everything had to be put back in working order.
The old desolated vineyards had to be replanted with plants that did not exist there to that moment, such as Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The renovation works of the production unit took place at the same time.

Today, the Vignoble Belot has reached an area of 35 hectares, either totally new created or
replanted since 1988, all giving the white- red- and rose wines that are exported all over the world.