Famille Dutraive
Fleurie, Beaujolais
2019 Famille Dutraive Chenas ‘Les Perelles’
Deep vibrant cherry red. Ripe red cherry with a hint of kirsch ripeness and fresh raspberry scents. A gentle dusting of baking spice and finally a savoury wet gravel minerality. Medium with great tension from the start. Typical glycerol carbonic texture with concentrated cherry, plum and raspberry fruits plus a lingering minerality all heightened by the taught mineral acidity. The final word shows the warmth of the vintage with a lingering kirsch and framboise burst. Very classic with perhaps a hint of the riper fruit from a warmer vintage but all the natural tension preserved by precise picking.
Justin Dutraive
2020 Beaujolais ‘Les Bulands’
Super pale cherry red with ruby highlights colour. Delicate nose with ripe forest floor berries, red cherry, whole bunch spice and background florals. Medium weighted, richly textured and little bursts of ripe red fruits. Virtually zero tannins. So fine and supple. A change in style direction from Justin opting for lighter extraction and more ethereal, natural expression. Delicious and thoughtful.
2019 Beaujolais-Villages ‘Les Tours’
Justin Dutraive bought the Les Tours plot in 2016, situated next to the winery of fellow La Cave winemaker Jean-Claude Lapalu. 100% Gamay which underwent carbonic maceration to bring out the best in the fruit. Layers of dark sweet fruits paired with a little red fruit acidity. Definitely on the riper side without going too far, balanced nicely with tannins. Serve chilled in the warm Australian summer in good company. Also available in 1500ml.
Other vintages available: 2018
2019 fLEURIE ‘lA mADONE’
Soft red cherry. Stronger whole bunch spice here with more savoury secondary notes too. Fruit is demure but certainly in the bright red berry Fleurie spectrum. Saline and mineral. Rich texture cut with fine raspy tannins adding lovely bite and dryness. Juicy raspberry and saltbush berry. Great balance. Delicious. Long flavours down the back of throat indicate superior concentration – don’t be deceived by the delicacy.
2019 Fleurie ‘Chapelle des Bois’ - 1500ml
Soft cherry red with old ruby highlights. Deeper darker scented nose here with dried red florals, spice and cedar, shed floor, wild red berries. Medium with silky smooth structure, slippery. Delicious ripe black raspberry and cherry fruit with an intense granite mineral tang. Pure terroir here. Great bojo.
Ophèlie Dutraive
2019 Moulin à Vent
Soft pale red. Plenty of ripe raspberry, raspberry leaf and cool minerality. Lots of whole bunch spice. The palate is so lithe and delicious upfront then builds with acidity first followed by tannins belying the cooler northern site. Finishes with ample red fruit and a burst of Szechuan pepper. Wow juice! A new voice in Beaujolais!