2021 Famille Dutraive Saint-Amour "Clos Du Chapitre", Beaujolais, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This vineyard brings more subtle aromas than La Folie, but the wine is still quite expressive with its notes of red berries, rhubarb, sweet red rose, sweet greens and crushed rock. Solid, but fine tannins are backed by a fresh, gentle acidity that hits on all sides, revealing a nice long finish. There is no lack of tastiness in the Clos du Chapitre, and it seems to carry a bit more complexity than the pleasure-filled La Folie.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

When Jean Dutraive purchased the Domaine de la Grand’Cour in 1969, it was already one of the oldest domaines in Fleurie. The estate encompasses nine hectares divided between three contiguous terroirs: Grand’Cour, Chapelle des Bois, and Champagne. The family also has 1.6 hectares of Brouilly that have been in their holding for five generations. Jean-Louis joined his father in 1977 and took over the domaine in 1989.

The domaine has been certified organic since 2009, but practicing organic for decades prior. Jean-Louis strives to make vins de terroir above all else, and follows the same principles of winemaking for each of his cuvées: hand harvesting, whole-cluster, carbonic fermentation without any added sulfur, native yeasts, and no intervention or addition of oenologic products.

Jean-Louis is a true master of Gamay. In addition to his masterful skill of producing some of the best wines in the Beaujolais, he is also a local legend with a seemingly never-ending supply of saucisson that appears at apéros any time of day.