Tasted with Rémi Dufaitre in Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières, 16 March 2021.
Domaine du Botheland – Laurence & Rémi Dufaitre
150 Route de Botheland
69460 Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières
Tel: +33 6 33 58 86 31
More reports with Laurence & Rémi Dufaitre
“The domaine’s a creation,” says Rémi Dufaitre; “I began by purchasing vines in Brouilly and the Côte de Brouilly in 2006, working the vines organically from the beginning. Initially, I sold the grapes to the co-op but once ready I started making wine for our own domaine – the wines are made in 3 cuveries” – Rémi has things dotted around.
Rémi pops up here and there – I’d last seen him in the kitchen of Agnès & Jean Foillard – who is one of Rémi’s influences…
In a normal year there would be about 50% of the production exported from here but with the lack of a market in Paris this year there’s been more export – “Of course, I’m hoping that it comes back to normal. There’s a little négoce done here too.”
The wines…
I like the earnest style of both the man and his wines – wife Laurence always keeping a close eye on how our tasting is going – not to mention his (giant) puppy who watches us through the window. Wines that are worth your time.
2020 Cuvée 1000-F
First vintage made – a co-fermentation of Gamay and chardonnay.
A strong rosé colour. The nose is a little peppery. Mouth-filling – energetic, some spicy green fruit that’s quite persistent – a suggestion of red too – in a black glass I couldn’t tell what the colour is – maybe red – but I remain unsure!
2019 Brouilly
All granite, no blue stones. Half concrete and half tronconic tanks, no sulfur, no fitration
That’s a fine nose – silky wide – I find a style like Lapalu – who’s wines I bought this 2019 vintage. Bright, energetic – complex – lovely energy, mineral finishing – that’s a really delicious wine.
2019 Côte de Brouilly
The same vinification, bottled at the same time – but the vine age is not the same.
A round nose of deeply red fruit. Wider, similar energy and complexity – a juicy wine – finishing with a faint shimmer of tannin – but no grain. I like this a lot!
2020 Beaujolais Villages
An assembly of all parcels in concrete tanks – there was once two cuvées here, but in this vintage just this one.
Lighter colour than the 2019 crus – an airy nose – a freshness and red impression of the fruit. Nicely energetic – like the previous wines – more open, red, slightly savoury finishing.
There’s a 2020 Brouilly still in tank – not sulfured. Alsdo not tasted…
And for the road:
2020 Beaujolais Villages Blanc
This nose is modestly expressive but nicely interesting. Mouth-filling, mouth-watering, good energy here – nothing hard, no rigour to the structure – that’s a tasty wine. Lovely – attractively mineral finishing too.