Tasted in Charnay with Jean Paul Brun, 24 February 2023.
Domaine des Terres Dorées
565 route d’Alix
69380 Charnay-en-Beaujolais
Tel: +33 4 78 47 93 45
www.terresdorees.fr (not yet online)
More reports with Domaine des Terres Dorées
Jean Paul on 2021 and a little on 2022:
“50-55% of a normal volume in 2021, which was due to a combination of factors, including both frost and mildew. But we still made our usual cuvées. I think the 2021s have evolved very well, they are properly Beaujolais and have great fruit. In 2022, the tannins are very soft – it’s a warm year and we normally have to wait for those but the structure of these wines is so supple…”
The wines…
Always a pleasure to taste this large range of wines – all are different and all are rather classy, just a few with some greener notes in 2021…
The first three wines, plus the whites, are sealed with Nomacorc, all the rest with cork. “I prefer the Nomacorc, I always felt that the DIAM changed the wine a little – but all the 22s will be Nomacorc .”
2021 Beaujolais Le Ronsay
A majority of young vines are here. ‘A wine for the fruit’ all-natural yeast, some pigeage. Not a wine with great pretention but something to replace a rosé!’
A nicely open width of red fruit. Easy, completely accessible, modestly mineral. Deliciously finishing wine. Just something that’s so easy to enjoy – it’s long too…
Vines of about 70-years-old – the old vines cuvée.
A zip of extra aromatic freshness. Extra depth to these flavours, the fruit still red but of a deeper shade. Rounder – more intense finishing even a little perfume in this finish that’s a great BJ!
‘Not made every year as I don’t want to take anything away from the previous wine.’
The freshness of the last with a hint more clarity and higher-toned floral perfume. Mouth-filling, quite vibrant – a tiny grain of tannin framing these flavours – an extra structure – all in place – wait six months but it’s clearly a higher level with a delicious despite chewy finishing flavour. Bravo!
2021 Côte de Brouilly
Here facing the rising sun.
Here’s a small accent of green – but the nose offers energy and perfume too. Airy, some structure, a little extra tannin – the gentian of the nose is visible in the flavours too. I love the shape but less-so the gentian…
2021 Fleurie
It’s all grille-midi – vines of about 40 years old
Also plenty of pyrazine here. In the mouth, this has a sensuous side, mouth-filling slightly grainy texture but very open. A wine with plenty of green but it drinks very well.
2021 Fleurie Les Garants
Fourth vintage. South-facing, ‘a hot place where you can very quickly have over-mature fruit – lots of attention was needed here in 2018 and 2021.’
An airy and more complex width – nothing directly of the fruit. Supple, fluid, open and energetic – this is lovely – the structure is still visible so I’d still keep but there’s no shame to drink this now. The finish, slightly creamy, is a dream – really great here.
2021 Morgon
2.5 ha in Bellevue – not a lot of soil here.
A smaller nose but still of freshness and this nose is sweeter. There’s small hint of gentian but this is proper Morgon, direct and juicy – the flavour quite perfumed. The finish – like a number here is absolutely delicious!
2021 Morgon Cote de Py – Javernieres
Foot of the hill, east-facing, sixth vintage.
A more vertical nose, faintly spiced. Broad over the palate with mouth-watering freshness and good energy. There’s structure, of course, but this opens nicely over the palate – it’s really a very good finish that just keeps getting wider and wider.
2021 Fleurie Grille-Midi
Also Grille-Midi but 1950-1955 planted old vines – never more than 25 hl/ha
This is floral and perfumed – unlike the young vines there’s nothing green here. More direct – some extra structure tzo this shape – juicy and intense finishing – keep this 1 – 2 years before attacking but it’s excellent – none of the gentian aromatics and flavours of the ‘younger vine’cuvée.
2021 Moulin-a-Vent
An assembly of ‘young’ vines – between 30-50! Mainly Tour de Bief – yes, there plenty of damage in Mav due to the frost.
A lighter colour. Nice breadth of aroma. A modest gas and a suggestion of reduction but then – through a little fine-grained tannin comes the more juicy middle and finishing flavour. Such finishing finesse – that will be really lovely in 1-2 years.
2020(!) Moulin-a-Vent Les Thorins
Close to the Moulin.
More colour. There’s more ripeness to this dark fruit. Rounder, framed with ultra-fine tannin – mouth-watering – a core of dark yet juicy fruit – almost an extra ripeness – a myrtille style.
2020(!) Moulin-a-Vent La Rochelle
A fine nose – there’s complexity here – almost some warm spice. Extra-wide, bubbling with energy – this the more dynamic of these two 2020 wines, slowly fading.
2022 St.Amour
On the hill towards le Bourg not far from the cemetery. ‘We made a small early bottling for St.Valentines – but not everything!’
There’s some depth and width here – but still, I sense it’s not fully open – the fruit remains a little distant. But that’s brilliant in the mouth – cushioned, texture of velour – ultra-sensual. That’s a great texture – wait a little longer to taste everything though.
2021 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Vines in the Pierres Dorées
A different tone, some roundness here too. Deeper red fruit but nicely cushioned – there’s comfort here despite a modest very fine-grained tannin. The finish has a super almost juicy aspect – that’s completely delicious wine!
Les Blancs
Fewer whites here in terms of cuvées, but it’s an important volume for the domaine – more than 25% of the volume. ‘We prune Guyot so 8-9 buds, that’s quite modest:‘
2021 VdF Roussanne
Planted near the winery on a limestone soil
Nice freshness and a little menthol – these aromas suggest sauvignon, but… Rounder, generous and supple – it could still be a richer sauvignon! That’s hyper-interesting and very tasty!
2021 Beaujolais Chardonnay Classic
Tank elevage on lees with malo done – like the Roussanne – No barrels used here.
A mineral width of aroma, lightly accented with ripe citrus. Mouth-filling with plenty of sweetness – a modest minerality and a mouth-watering freshness. The ripeness of the vintage but hardly into the more exotic spectrum.
2021 Beaujolais Blanc
For this vintage, 2-thirds of the elevage was in 228-litre barrels – a small amount new – the rest also in wood but foudres.
A more subtle nose – a little more finesse. There is a hint more ripeness but that pushed by the suggestion of barrel flavour – also sweet but it suits the rounder style of this wine more – there’s structure here too but it’s well-hidden today – the finish is very elegant. Easily my favourite of these two wines.
Cremant Charme
Chardonnay with a base of 2019 wine with 5g of dosage.
A nice vibration to this aroma – a hint of apple fruit. This is such a fine palate cleansing (moreish!) thing. The apple of the nose visible but less pronounced in the flavours – finishing with a little chalky tannin to remember it