We left the main thoroughfare and trusting our instincts as much as any road sign or map, we eventually made our way to Charnay. This picturesque town still maintains its Old World persona in its narrow streets and centuries old structures…you can imagine our surprise when our small, two car convoy found itself in the center of the town’s one and only "traffic jam". Just as we noticed Brun’s small wall sign and attempted to enter the parking lot, we were joined at the very same spot by a postal truck, a farm tractor, and a fast moving van. The thirty seconds of bedlam was past us, but the aforementioned van had pulled to the side of the road. A man jumped from the door, walking quickly and purposefully toward us. The closest any of us had to a weapon was a water bottle rolling at our feet…fortunately none was needed, as the fast moving man proved to be Eric Texier. We had spoken to Eric at the Marche, and he recognized us as he drove past (burly, sun glass wearing, head bobbing American men – not hard to miss, eh?). He stopped to wish us well and invited us to stop by his place after our Brun visit, though as we had other appointments later in the day, we were forced to decline. I was sad to miss spending time with one of my favorite young winemakers, but when I next return to France, I’ll be sure to take him up on his offer.

We were soon greeted by the warm smile of J.P. Brun (left). He was a gracious host, indulging all of our questions (doing his best to answer in English, while our party did their best to speak in French). He showed us around the winery where he crafts all the wines for his Domaine des Terres Dorees estate, as well as few wines made with purchased grapes. I’m sure a few elements were lost in the translation, but there was no mistaking the sincerity of this passionate wine maker. True to his nature, though slightly shocked, Jean-Paul remained most amiable even after Mike (in an emphatic gesture gone awry) smashed his glass at his feet.

We walked past stainless steel tanks, older (as well as a few newer) barrels, and a number of large, thick concrete tanks that Brun favored as they limited temperature exchange. We learned technique and mindset here differs from much of the region – Jean-Paul sees Gamay expressing itself best using the grape’s indigenous yeasts rather than the adding an industrial yeast. Further, he believes Beaujolais often drinks best with lower alcohol levels…though he might minimally employ the technique in certain vintages, there is no need to chaptalize (add sugar to the must) in most…many of his wines result in 11% or 12% abv. Filtration and the practice of adding SO2 are both kept to a minimum so as to protect the wine’s freshness and character – in this endeavor, I’d say he is quite successful.

Barrel Samples –

03 Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc – no malolactic fermentation yet on this sample -- pale in color…pineapple and Fuji apple – very fresh.

03 T.D. Beaujolais Blanc – through malo – creamy textures with plenty of apple and mineral…plenty of iron in the clean finish.

03 T.D. Beaujolais Blanc "Special Cuvee" – lots of dill and herbs right now, though still offering plenty of apple and stone

03 Old Vines Beaujolais (1/3 of l’Ancien bottling) – originally in the concrete vats, then shifted to 4 year old barrels…cherry, plum and clove…round in the mouth with good tannic crunch…herbs and iron.

03 (another 1/3 of l’Ancien) Beaujolais – lighter in color...a solid core of fruit, and more mineral in the mouth. This is more "together" and better balanced at this juncture than the Old Vines…more of that iron in the finish.

03 Cote du Brouilly – deep and dusty…dark cherries and strawberry…blood and minerals…something of an herbal overlay. Good depth and nice acids…it is surprisingly complex.

03 Moulin-a-Vent – the fruit comes in at about a ton an acre. It has higher toned berries and powdery herbs. It is spicy and tangy – strong with acids, and built for the long haul. I’d love to try this in 5 or more years.

We moved upstairs to a small kitchen area to taste through some of the bottled wines. Jon, Kira, and Mike shared a spittoon, while Jean-Paul (left) and I shared a sauce pan grabbed from the shelf. You can get a decent feel for people when you share a pot with them…I’d share cookware with this man anytime.

Tasting Notes –

2002 Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc "Chardonnay" (black and white label) 12% abv – fermented in barrel. It shows honey, yeast and apple on the nose. Nice tangy flavors of tart apple and lime skin charged with vital acids. "Steely"…I really liked the glasslike texture. Lime zest and a bit of cream on the finish…very impressive.

2002 Terres Dorees L’Ancien Beaujolais (11% abv) – nose of cherries, leaves, stones and earth. It shows off precise red cherry/cranberry flavor…all sorts of minerals, warm spices and earth…it trails off with a potent iron/light spice finish. This seems to be a super wine for any number of meals.

I do not believe any of the following are presently imported to the US – too bad.

2002 Cote du Brouilly (JP Brun) (12% abv) – scents of earth, sticks and leaves…dark cherry. Concentrated, chewy cherry flavor set against an earth/tobacco core…minerals are less apparent. There is a richness through the middle, but it is clipped by potent structure…this one needs 2-3 years.

2002 Moulin-a-Vent (JP Brun) – lots of blood and iron on the nose…flowers, quince, and as Mike said – "lychee". There is plenty of wet earth and stone…more blood and iron at the finish…some persistent spice, too. Turning deeper and richer over the course of 10 minutes. There is quite a bit of structure here…it will need years.

2002 Pinot Noir – noticeably light in color. Matured in used barrels, it is slightly stemmy and herbal, but shows concentrated red fruits and wet stones. It finishes up with cherry cough syrup…slightly astringent. This is another interesting wine that needs time.

A trio of dessert wines --

2000 Terres Dorees "In Extremis" (13% abv) – Wax, orange blossoms and apricots…botrytis is apparent on the nose. It has concentrated orange and apricot in the mouth, but not overly heavy…fine, balanced acidity/sweetness…pleasant, lengthy finish.

2001 Terres Dorees "Labeur d’Octobre" (14% abv) – thicker, and more slick than the Extremis…I register some of the alcohol on the nose. It is juicy and concentrated orange in the mouth…turning more candied on the finish. It puts me in mind of a Kracher sticky.

2000 Terres Dorees "Elate" (7% abv) – brought in at 5 hl/ha (somewhere between 1/3 and ½ ton per acre). Ultra thick and super concentrated orange…sugary…seems like it sticks to my teeth. It has an herbal back beat and light mineral tones…buttery mouthfeel, but with an extremely clean finish. That said, I find sticky bits on my tongue for minutes – delicious!