Beaujolais, France

This wine is amazing. Elegant with the slightest of edges, oxidative, high-tone, vibrant. Deep oxblood color. Cherry, granite, salt. Medium-low, balanced tannins, zippy acidity. Old oak.

There’s a relatively newfound love for Cru Beaujolais among the sommelier set and Domaine de la Grand’Cour is one of the rock star producers to make its way into the American market. Winemaker Jean-Louis Dutraive is a 5th generation vigneron focusing on small parcels of Gamay grown with integrity and produced with minimal intervention. All the wines undergo carbonic maceration for the fermentation and a mixture of different size barrels and cement casks are used for the elevage. Finished wines are unrefined and unfiltered before bottling. At nearly 60 years old, Jean-Louis Dutraive has long held the respect of local farmers from his region but has recently turned into a rather dark horse favorite among global wine geeks.