2015 Jean-Louis Dutraive-Domaine de la Grand Cour, Fleurie Cru Beaujolais, Le Clos, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, France.
The 2015 Dutraive Le Clos old vine Gamay is as close to perfection as you can get, but with a flamboyant and exotic flair that will scare the hell out of some people! This gorgeous and richly flavored Fleurie is much more like Scarlett Johansson than 60’s icon Twiggy, with amazing textures and an eye popping 14.5% alcohol this is a blockbuster Cru Beaujolais that will seduce every inch of you! Jean-Louis Dutraive’s all natural and biodynamic, Jules Chauvet inspired Domaine de la Grand Cour is one of the great wines of the world and this 2015 Cuvee Vieilles Le Clos is like The Guigal La La Cote-Rotie of Beaujolais with sweet ripe opulence, hedonistically sexy mouth feel and with mineral/flinty spices true to it’s pink quartz and granite schist soils. Native yeast fermented with partial carbonic and no obvious wood this wine is just wondrous in style and detail with delicate floral tones, densely packed pure Gamay character with creamy red raspberry, tart cherry, wild strawberry, tangy plum and guava jelly as well as basil/minty herb, shale/stony elements, saline rich anise along with mixed spice and candied citrus, dried violet with lingering red peach and black currant. Wow, this is something wildly special and complex, but oddly comforting and easy to love, there is the dreamy textures and succulent fruit, though subtle savory tones, liquid mineral and juicy acidity keep things remarkably balanced and focused. While sultry and darkly beautiful now this expressive Fleurie will be admired as a classic for years if not decades to come, fantastic stuff from the master Jean-Louis Dutraive, do not miss this wine if you are lucky enough to see or find it!
($36 Est.) 94+ Points, grapelive
