# Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne Coteaux de Dijon Rouge (2024)

- **Producer:** Domaine de la Cras
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Rhône, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, rose, violet

## About this wine

In 2013, the municipality of Dijon acquired the Domaine de la Cras estate to preserve regional agricultural heritage and revive historic peri-urban viticulture. The city held an open competition to award the tenancy, specifying organic farming and public engagement. Marc Soyard, who previously worked for six years as vineyard manager at Domaine Bizot in Vosne-Romanée, was selected to lead the estate. Uniquely, Soyard pays part of his annual rent directly in bottles of wine. Domaine de la Cras stands as the sole winery permitted to feature the Coteaux de Dijon designation on its labels.

## Interesting facts

- Domaine de la Cras is the only estate in the world permitted to use the Coteaux de Dijon designation.
- Winemaker Marc Soyard pays his estate lease rent to the City of Dijon in physical bottles of wine.
- Soyard trained as vineyard manager for six years under Jean-Yves Bizot at Domaine Bizot.

## Food pairing

This vibrant Pinot Noir balances crisp acidity and fine-grained tannins, making it ideally suited for elegant white and red meats, roasted poultry, and savory mushroom dishes without overpowering delicate flavors.

## Wine making process

The grapes are grown using certified organic and biodynamic viticulture in the Grand Bessy vineyard plot. Winemaking involves natural fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts without temperature control or sulfur additions. Marc Soyard uses a signature whole-cluster sandwich fermentation technique, combining approximately two-thirds whole clusters with one-third destemmed fruit. Aging takes place over 10 to 12 months in neutral oak barriques. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimal addition of sulfur at bottling.