2020 Justin Dutraive Beaujolais-Villages Les Tours
WINEMAKER: Justin Dutraive
REGION: Beaujolais, FR
VARIETAL: Gamay
VITICULTURE: Organic
“A little more depth in colour here as you would expect climbing the quality tree. Pale cherry red with the faintest hint of youthful crimson. More classic Gamay/southern Beaujolais expression here with a little plum and darker berries to compliment the usual fresh red fruits. Lots of spice and warm granite minerality too. Still very light when compared with the Jean-Claude Lapalu wines from the neighbouring vineyard. Medium weighted with good texture again but more sinewy as the fine tannins, bright mineral acid and gentle alcohol warmth cut in. Flavours are not as ripe as you would expect at 14.5% with the acidity and tannins cancelling any “sweetness” on the delicate berry fruit flavours – think black raspberry and sea berry saltbush. Just enough ripeness to combine with the acidity and minerality to give that trademark succulence. All in all a delicious style sure to turn heads and hearts.” 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.