2023 Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie “Clos de la Grand’Cour”, Beaujolais, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This exotic beauty is perhaps the most understated and rustic in Jean-Louis’ range. Like all the wines made by Jean-Louis, this wine finds a striking level of purity and focus after some time in the glass. It is the only wine in the range that spends time in old large foudre in addition to concrete. This elevage slowly softens the piercing aromas into a wine that has a little more rustic and sauvage (but clean!) character than the rest of the wines. It is a beauty and is always underrated in this line of brilliantly expressive wines. Jean-Louis uses different levels of Sulfur in his cuves and this wine sees a single addition of 10 parts per million SO2 one month before bottling.

All of Jean-Louis wines are made with whole clusters, zero extraction and natural fermentations. They are made from a combination of nearly perfect farming and zen-like observation. The elevage of this wine is 40% in foudre and 60% in futs de chene (barrel.)

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

On more than one occasion, Jean-Louis Dutraive has been fondly referred by his peers as “the heart of Beaujolais”. The Dutraive family home and the Domaine de la Grand’Cour are one in the same, and there is a constant flow of visiting vignerons from every generation for lunches, dinners, casse-crote (“breaking of bread”), walks in the vines, and tastings in the cellar. Jean-Louis’ door is always open, as are his bottles. He makes himself regularly available to young people in the region who are interested in farming naturally, and he is among the first to lend a hand, a tractor, or words of advice to colleagues.

Domaine de la Grand Cour dates back to 1969 when it was purchased by Jean Dutraive, making it one of the oldest in the village of Fleurie. Jean Dutraive was joined by his son and fifth generation vigneron Jean-Louis in 1977. By 1989, the reins were fully in Jean-Louiss capable hands. The foundation of the property are the lieux-dits of Clos de la Grand Cour, Chapelle des Bois and Champagne which make up a total of 9 hectares of vines in Fleurie, surrounding the house and cellars. Additionally, the family has 1.6 hectares in the cru of Brouilly where the Dutraive family originates. The average age of the vines are around 40-50 years, with a good chunk over 70 years of age.