Domaine de la Grand’Cour & Famille Dutraive
BEAUJOLAIS, FRANCE
I first met Jean-Louis Dutraive at the Greniers Saint Jean tasting in Angers—the largest gathering of organic and biodynamic estates in France—in early 2015. Already fond of his wines, I began to understand that the purity and feel-good energy found in those bottles is largely an extension of the man himself. Several days later, I stumbled across Jean-Louis in the cellars of Clos Rougeard (he was a true fanboy), and we would continue to cross each other’s paths over the next several years until I finally made my pilgrimage to Domaine de la Grand’Cour (the Dutraive family home) in Fleurie to see the magic firsthand.
Jean-Louis’s joie de vivre is contagious, and La Grand’Cour has a revolving door of young local vignerons—his own children included—whom he mentors, advises and breaks bread with. And his wines are beloved by renowned winemakers beyond his home region; Dutraive was the first Beaujolais producer to be invited to participate in La Paulée—further proof that his Fleurie and Brouilly cuvées can stand toe to toe with top cru Burgundies.
The domaine’s vineyards have been farmed organically for decades, and Jean-Louis obtained official certification in 2009. All grapes are hand-harvested and vatted at low temperatures to begin carbonic maceration. The wines ferment using only native yeasts and are aged in used Burgundy barrels, foudres or cement tanks, depending on the cuvée and the vintage. There is no fining or filtering, no SO2 during vinification and élevage, and little to no SO2 during blending.
The Famille Dutraive label was created in 2016 following the extreme hail that devastated the the domaine and includes the involvement of Jean-Louis’s children Justin, Ophélie and Lucas. The fruit is selected by the family from organically farmed plots and made according to the same philosophy as those from the domaine.
The Wines
Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie “Clos de la Grand’Cour”
variety: Gamay soil type: granite avg vine age: 45 years
The Clos de la Grand’Cour is a monopole vineyard adjacent to the winery in the southern part of the Fleurie appellation. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks using only native yeasts, and the resulting wines are aged 50% in used barriques and 50% in foudres for 7 months.
Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie “Chapelle des Bois”
variety: Gamay soil type: sandy & granitic avg vine age: 30 years
This cuvée comes off of a 4.5-acre plot in the lieu-dit Chapelle des Bois, in the southern part of the Fleurie appellation. Vines face northwest and lie on a terroir of sandy soil over the area’s granitic mother rock. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks, and the resulting wines are aged in concrete for 6 months.
Domaine de la Grand’Cour Brouilly “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes”
variety: gamay soil type: clay-limestone avg vine age: 60 years
Dutraive’s Brouilly plot covers 4.2 acres in the lieu-dit “Vuril” in the eastern part of the Brouilly appellation. The vines are exposed due south and lie at 750 feet in elevation. Grapes ferment in cement and fiberglass tanks, and the resulting wines are aged 50% in tank and 50% in used barriques for 6 months.
Famille Dutraive Fleurie “Le Pied de la Rue”
variety: gamay soil type: granite avg vine age: 55 years
This cuvée comes off of a single plot called “Le Pied de la Rue” in the eastern part of the Fleurie appellation. The vines are located on a steep slope facing southeast and are farmed by the Dutraive family, without pesticides or herbicides. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks, and the resulting wines are aged in used barriques for 8 months.
Famille Dutraive Fleurie “La Tonne”
variety: gamay soil type: granite avg vine age: 75 years
This cuvée comes off of two hillside plots marked by thin topsoil in the north of the Fleurie appellation. The first is home to 50-year-old vines and faces due south; the second is home to 100-year-old vines and faces southeast. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks, and the resulting wines are aged 100% in concrete for 6 months.
Famille Dutraive Chiroubles
variety: gamay soil type: granite avg vine age: 10 years
This cuvée comes off of a single plot in the lieu-dit “Poullet,” just beneath the village of Chiroubles. The young vines here have always been farmed organically, and the part farmed by the Dutraive family lies at the top of the hill, with southeast exposure. Grapes ferment in concrete tanks, and the resulting wines are aged 100% in stainless steel for 6 months.
Dutraive in the News
The essential producers, wines and methods that define one of France’s most beloved red wines. Read More…
