Dos d'Chat: Fabrice Dodane's Delicious Jura Ploussard and Trousseau... Plus His Syrah from the Northern Rhone!

One of the best wines I drank in 2020 was from Alice & Olivier De Moor, the world famous winegrowing couple in Chablis - but this bottle wasn't an ethereal, limestone-edged Chardonnay. The 2016 Melting Potes VDF was a blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc from the Languedoc and Viognier from the Ardèche. After losing most of their production to frost in the '16 vintage, the De Moors were able to source grapes from friends in the South and created a breathtakingly rich and elegant wine. A year on and it still brings a smile to my face - a great bottle during a tough year.

Today's offer is not on this particular bottle, nor any other De Moor wines, but on a few special bottles from the Jura's Fabrice Dodane. Like the Melting Potes, Dodane's Dos d'Chat project has encouraged me to further explore the world of small scale négociant winemaking. This type of process, where winemakers purchase fruit instead of using estate-grown grapes allows some of our favorite producers to make wines (thus a living) during particularly difficult years. Although it can lead to generic and low-quality/over-priced wine in the hands of Big Business estates, when touched by a thoughtful vigneron, the results can (and often are) delicious, extra-fascinating, and very well-priced.

If you're a Jura-sleuth, you're most likely familiar with the allocated wines from Fabrice's Domaine de Saint Pierre. He was hired as a manager there in 1989 but took over completely in 2011 after Philippe Moyne, the celebrated founder of the domaine, passed. A staunch supporter of organics and biodynamics, Fabrice brought it into organic certification in 2012. He started the Dos d'Chat line after a hail storm decimated his crop, and this is his third year releasing wines under this fantastic négociant label. You'd be right to expect knock-out Trousseau and Ploussard from Fabrice, a Jura-native, and the wines below do not disappoint.

The Dos d'Chat 2019 Trousseau 'Les Corvées' has a cherry core and brickish edges. The nose is dense and floral, with aromas of blueberries, cherry, strawberries and a touch of rich Autumnal woods and dark violets. Plum and cherry on the palate create the foundation for minerally iron and fresh black pepper. Structure is grippy, with a healthy, zippy middle and good acidity. There is a refreshing tingle on the finish, with a bitter touch of graphite and cherry peel. Absolutely perfect for chilly nights - and gets fuller, darker, and warmer in flavors after a day open! (NO ADDED SO2! & SIX MAGNUMS AVAILABLE!)

The 2020 Dos d'Chat Ploussard Amphore has the prettiest color of any wine I can remember. In the glass, it is clear but seems to glow with a hue of vibrant tomato skin and cranberry. Bright aromas on the nose of forest berries, like blueberry and raspberry, with orange zest and and the earthiness of dried, fallen leaves. As the wine opens, a hovering scent of candied cherry appears. Like the Trousseau, there is a strong mineral zip on the palate. Flavors of bright red cherry, dark citrus, and anise ride a structure of simple tannin and long, long, long lasting acidity.

What you might not expect is a bold, juicy Syrah, but... he did it - and it's as complex as it is tasty!

The Dos d'Chat 2020 Quin Quin Syrah has a charming dark cherry core with violet edges. It boasts a dramatic nose, full of savory red fruits, red and white flowers, and classic black olive. As the wine opens, herbs and raw vanilla appear - ending with a cherry sweetness. On the palate, red plums, black pepper and clove flesh out a bright and minerally center. High acidity and medium tannin provide lovely grip through the herbaceous finish, culminating with a prick of spice on the tongue. Wow!

We love the bottles we score from Domaine de Saint Pierre and the Dos d'Chat wines aren't meant to replace them, but the second we put our noses to each of these wines, we knew we were about to taste something very serious and very good. Fabrice Dodane can do wonders with his own fruit, but he can also cast that magic on grapes he's purchased from friends and peers. If you're inclined to scoff at a Syrah made by a man from Arbois, go ahead, but you're going to be missing something special.

-David Hatzopoulos