2020 Justin Dutraive Beaujolais Les Bulands

WINEMAKER: Justin Dutraive
REGION: Beaujolais, FR
VARIETAL: Gamay
VITICULTURE: Organic

“Following on from the change in style in 2019 this is super pale in the glass reflecting the very short carbonic maceration. Transparent light cherry red with old ruby highlights. Ethereal notes of delicate wild pink rose with raspberry and red cherry and a dusting of fruit spice. Medium to light weight, its not lacking in texture and flavour. Delicate red fruit notes, mostly raspberry, swim in the glycerol enhanced texture with the tiniest inkling of tannins. Any “structure” here comes from the taught mineral acidity. When I caught up in July this year we asked Justin why the change to shorter ferments and lighter extraction and he cited the influence of Domaine L’Anglore (as many do now in France) and I can see the resemblance. 13%” Tim Stock, October 2022

Justin is considered to be a leader of the second gen of natural Beaujolais masters along with Jules Metras, Damien Coquelet, Alex Fouillard etc, all of whom are his best mates. The future of high-class natural Beaujolais is strong! Justin currently leases his old parcel of Beaujolais, but he was able to buy his Beaujolais-Villages vineyard before the 2016 vintage. The Beaujolais vineyard sits in between corn and wheat fields. It is isolated from other vineyards, which probably helps shield it from disease.

All the vineyards are worked organically with everything except spraying done by hand, including weed removal. Justin Dutraive’s wines are made with similar techniques and philosophy to those of his father, albeit with some slightly different fermentation vessels (stainless included). Aside from his work at Domaine de la Grand’Cour, Justin has worked with Jean Foillard and Julie Blagny in Beaujolais, at vineyards in Oregon and spent the 2016 vintage working at Sinapius and Gentle Folk in Australia.