Located in the Southern Beaujolais village of Charnay, Jean Paul Brun started winemaking in 1974 with 4 hectares of vines. Originally renting those vines from his father’s farm, Jean Paul Brun eventually took over the farm, converting it to a fully functioning vineyard and winery. Today, Jean Paul Brun and his family own around 45 hectares mostly throughout Charnay with additional vines in Cote de Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent and Fleurie.
Charnay, known as the “Region of Golden Stones” is rich in limestone creating bright and acidic characteristics in the wine. Cote de Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin a Vent and Fleurie are all cru appellations within Beaujolais with mostly granite rich soils and diverse climates from the rolling hills and topography to create uniquely dynamic wines. These wines typically range from refined and delicate to sturdier and long-lived styles.
Beaujolais, located directly below the famed Burgundy region, is most known for their vibrant and fruity red wines made from the Gamay grape. Beaujolais wines are very food friendly, approachable and a crowd pleaser. Dominating red fruit notes of black cherry, strawberries and raspberries create a balanced and lovely red wine for all occasions. The region is also well known for Beaujolais Nouveau, a youthful wine with no barrel ageing that is sold weeks after harvest. Since the 19th century, Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, providing fresh and light red wines to be enjoyed while the other wines from harvest are aged.
Jean Paul Brun carved his own path from the very beginning of his wine career and continues to be a unique pioneer within the region. The first wine he ever made was a Beaujolais Blanc from Chardonnay, and today, has 8 hectares dedicated to this increasingly rare wine of the region. He also remains one of the few producers in Beaujolais to plant Pinot Noir vines to release a Bourgogne wine. Additionally, Brun does not produce wines through carbonic maceration; instead he chooses the classic Burgundian method for vinification.
The Beaujolais region’s widely popular winemaking technique, carbonic maceration, is when wine is fermented in whole bunches, ultimately producing a lighter colored wine with lower tannins and an abundance of fruity flavors. Brun believes this relatively modern technique takes away the varied terroir and beauty of the wine through the use of commercial yeast and an unnecessary amount of sulfur.
Brun’s goal is to create structured wines that are food friendly, approachable, yet still thought provoking. His philosophy of winemaking is relatively simple: let the terroir and grape shine through. He calls this the “old-style Beaujolais.” Through this, he looks to avoid chapitalization, or adding sugar to his wines and only uses a touch of sulfur during bottling to preserve the wine. Brun also uses indigenous yeast and has been working organically with his vines for the past few decades. His flagship wine truly represents that terroir driven approach to winemaking. The Jean Paul Brun Terres Dorees L’Ancien is a lovely reflection of the clay-limestone from the Charnay village. The wine is bright, light and fruit forward backed by structured acidity. The Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorees FRV 100 is a sparkling wine where its name is a play on the word “ effervescent.” This off-dry sparkling rose is 100% Gamay and bursting with delicate fruit notes – perfect for a light aperitif.
