The estate
History
Les Vins Laurent Bellion are above all a long family history. The estate was founded by Louis Bellion, Laurent's great-grandfather, in 1919. He practiced mixed farming (cereals, pasture, olives, fruit trees, and vines).
Naturally, Laurent's grandfather, Ismaël, succeeded him. He acquired several plots still dedicated to mixed farming by this time. He was the one who mechanized the estate with the first tractors.
Laurent's father, Lucien, shifted the estate predominantly towards viticulture in the early 1980s.
After finishing his studies, Laurent assisted him for three years before taking over the estate on his own in 2000. At that time, he chose to specialize solely in viticulture while maintaining the olive grove to market his olive oil directly.
He is therefore the representative of the fourth generation and has been in charge of the estate for 20 years. With a passion for his profession, his terroir, and wine, he sought to enhance his work and create a product that reflects himself.
THE OWNER
Naturally, he wanted to create his own wine. Until 2011, the grape production was delivered to the cooperative cellar during the harvest. With each harvest, the desire to produce his own wine grew stronger, but the constraints related to investing in a personal cellar made this dream seem unattainable. Yet, the longing never ceased to grow.
In 2009, he undertook a qualifying training course to obtain a degree in oenology at the University of Wine in Suze la Rousse. Then, in 2010, after extensive research, the opportunity to vinify presented itself to him. This allowed him to vinify his harvest in a dedicated cellar without material investment, while benefiting from the expertise of a fellow winemaker, thus obtaining his first bottles.
In 2011, this project took shape, and the estate was launched. It has now been over 10 years since the estate began producing its own wines, the Vins Laurent Bellion, in three colors. Over time, he was granted the right to bottle on the property. By 2020, production had grown to 37,000 bottles. Since the summer of 2020, Vins Laurent Bellion has been certified with the High Environmental Value (HEV) label. Additionally, he also began his conversion in September 2024 to obtain the Organic Agriculture label.
AWARDS
Fully investing in one’s passion bears fruit, and it is always rewarding to see one’s work recognized.
Laurent Bellion was fortunate to be recommended by Decanter in 2015 and was named Young Talent of the Rhône Valley that same year.
The cuvée La Source has been selected three times to be included in the "Le Petit Ballon" box. La Revue du Vin de France, in its various editions, has regularly cited the Vins Laurent Bellion, notably rating Laurent Bellion blanc at 14.5/20.
The estate's cuvées also consistently receive excellent ratings from prominent international tasters. This includes Robert Parker, Decanter magazine, and Wine Enthusiast, all of whom have awarded his cuvées scores of over 90 points.
With a taste for new communication methods, Laurent has significantly developed his social media presence: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. He also participated in the first global virtual fair by Hopwine, which was a real success!
He is attentive to these new media and aims to make them a strong development focus.
Foire aux vins de Chaponost
Salon des Vins Gemenos
