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Domaine des Rutissons ‘Etraire de la D’hui’ Rouge 2019
Location: France, Savoie
Winemaker: Wilfrid Debroize and Laurent Fondimare
Grapes: Etraire de la D’hui
Soil: Clay, limestone
From us at M&L: This is a post to celebrate folks like Laurent Fondimare and Wilfrid Debroize of Domaine des Rutissons who are toiling to bring back grapes that are all but extinct, in a part of the world that is, for the most part, regarded as “between” more “important” places (viticultural Rhône and Savoie). As it turns out, the Gresivaudan valley (remember this name ;) is quite the opposite of interstitial: it is the center of a renaissance.
Here, in the foothills below the Chartreuse Massif, along the Isère river, Laurent and Wilfrid grow the forgotten grapes of Persan, Joubertin, Verdesse, Pelourian and this Etraire de la D’hui.
The last of these grapes we had never even heard of, and when we opened the bottle we had only a vague expectation based on our fondness for other wines we’ve enjoyed from the bottom of the Savoie. We were enchanted, to say the least.
Here is a stunner: violets, sweet mint, fancy perfume behind the ears and dusty minerals greeted us. Structure reminded us of cru Beaujolais or some of the avant-garde Gamay/Syrah we see from Northern Rhône, but the flavors were singular. Cherry, cherry pit, charcoal, more mint and a cocoa nib thing to make dense the otherwise ephemeral. Drink with anything with a grill mark on it.
From the Importer Jeffrey Alpert Selections: After studying agriculture and winemaking in Bordeaux, Laurent Fondimare moved to Isère to work in the agricultural real estate sector while waiting for the right opportunity to begin his next winemaking chapter. That opportunity came in 2010, when local winemaker and family friend Michel Bozonat offered Laurent a hectare of old vine Verdesse, situated within a diverse polycultural farm that included walnut trees, corn, and cows. After five years of slowly building his estate, Laurent recruited the assistance of his close friend Wilfrid Debroize. Augmented by the support of fellow winemakers in the region and their local community, they were able to build a suitable cellar for themselves. The Giachinos, for instance, supported the upcoming estate by offering up small plots of Gamay. Today, Domaine des Rutissons’ holdings span five hectares spread over seven small plots. They are committed to preserving the many local grape varieties such as Verdesse, Jacquère, Viognier, Gamay, Mondeuse, Persan, Peloursin, Etraire de la Lui, Alicante among others. The domaine is certified organic, picks all grapes by hand, exclusively uses native yeasts during fermentation, and keeps sulfur levels to an absolute minimum.
Location: France, Savoie
Winemaker: Wilfrid Debroize and Laurent Fondimare
Grapes: Etraire de la D’hui
Soil: Clay, limestone
From us at M&L: This is a post to celebrate folks like Laurent Fondimare and Wilfrid Debroize of Domaine des Rutissons who are toiling to bring back grapes that are all but extinct, in a part of the world that is, for the most part, regarded as “between” more “important” places (viticultural Rhône and Savoie). As it turns out, the Gresivaudan valley (remember this name ;) is quite the opposite of interstitial: it is the center of a renaissance.
Here, in the foothills below the Chartreuse Massif, along the Isère river, Laurent and Wilfrid grow the forgotten grapes of Persan, Joubertin, Verdesse, Pelourian and this Etraire de la D’hui.
The last of these grapes we had never even heard of, and when we opened the bottle we had only a vague expectation based on our fondness for other wines we’ve enjoyed from the bottom of the Savoie. We were enchanted, to say the least.
Here is a stunner: violets, sweet mint, fancy perfume behind the ears and dusty minerals greeted us. Structure reminded us of cru Beaujolais or some of the avant-garde Gamay/Syrah we see from Northern Rhône, but the flavors were singular. Cherry, cherry pit, charcoal, more mint and a cocoa nib thing to make dense the otherwise ephemeral. Drink with anything with a grill mark on it.
From the Importer Jeffrey Alpert Selections: After studying agriculture and winemaking in Bordeaux, Laurent Fondimare moved to Isère to work in the agricultural real estate sector while waiting for the right opportunity to begin his next winemaking chapter. That opportunity came in 2010, when local winemaker and family friend Michel Bozonat offered Laurent a hectare of old vine Verdesse, situated within a diverse polycultural farm that included walnut trees, corn, and cows. After five years of slowly building his estate, Laurent recruited the assistance of his close friend Wilfrid Debroize. Augmented by the support of fellow winemakers in the region and their local community, they were able to build a suitable cellar for themselves. The Giachinos, for instance, supported the upcoming estate by offering up small plots of Gamay. Today, Domaine des Rutissons’ holdings span five hectares spread over seven small plots. They are committed to preserving the many local grape varieties such as Verdesse, Jacquère, Viognier, Gamay, Mondeuse, Persan, Peloursin, Etraire de la Lui, Alicante among others. The domaine is certified organic, picks all grapes by hand, exclusively uses native yeasts during fermentation, and keeps sulfur levels to an absolute minimum.