Jean-Louis Dutraive Domaine de la Grand'Cour Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 'Champagne' 2023

Jean-Louis Dutraive Domaine de la Grand'Cour Fleurie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 'Champagne' 2023 Jean-Louis Dutraive, Domaine de la Grand’Cour Fleurie Cuvée Vieilles Vignes “Champagne” 2023 is the estate’s iconic, top-tier Fleurie from a tiny, steep lieu-dit with very old Gamay vines on shallow pink granite. It is intense, mineral, and deeply savory, with a striking mix of sweet red fruit, floral lift, and a salty, iron-like finish. Critic tasting note: (2023 vintage) "I love the interplay of warm and cool elements in this beautifully structured, medium-bodied red. Intensely mineral, the wine intensifies as it flows over your palate. A fascinating thread of spice weaves itself through this wonderful Fleurie. Long, very bright and precise finish. From organically grown grapes. Matured in young oak barrels. Drink or hold." - James Suckling Vineyard and winemaking 100% Gamay from the “Champagne” lieu-dit just outside the village of Fleurie, with vines around 90 years old. The soil is very shallow pink granite (“roche marne”) only 20–30 cm deep over acidic bedrock, on a gentle slope at roughly 250–300 m altitude. Organic farming, hand-harvested, whole-cluster carbonic fermentation with native yeasts, no extraction, and no added sulfur during vinification. Elevage is 100% in used oak barrels (fûts de chêne) for about 6–15 months, with minimal intervention and little to no sulfur at bottling. Tasting note Appearance: Red-purple, bright and clear. Nose: Sweet, soft red berries (raspberry, strawberry, red cherry) and red flowers, with herbal, spicy, and subtle earthy notes. Palate: Sappy and smooth at first, then evolving toward hot iron, iodine, and graphite. The wine transitions from juicy, high-toned fruit to something ultimately salty and savory, with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Finish: Long, mineral, and savory, with lingering red fruit, spice, and a stony, iron-like close. Style and drinking window This is one of the smallest and most sought-after cuvées in the Dutraive range, often described as the fastest 750 ml you’ll ever drink. It is approachable young but has the structure and depth to age 10–12 years or more. Food pairing It pairs beautifully with roast chicken, duck, pork, and light game. It also works very well with mushroom dishes, charcuterie, and semi-hard cheeses, where its acidity and mineral cut can balance richness.