Why it matters
The producer
Brun founded Domaine des Terres Dorées in 1979 with four hectares in Charnay. He rejects carbonic maceration in favor of Burgundian vinification, a method built around hand sorting, destemming and longer, slower fermentation with indigenous yeasts.
Gamay plantings on granite soils give the wines characteristic smoothness and strength. Today, 55% of production is exported internationally.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Charnay lies in southern Beaujolais, north of Lyon. Its terrain is slightly warmer and more limestone driven than the granite rich villages farther north. The domaine also works Gamay on granite soils, where the ground imparts smoothness and strength. The local limestone setting and the granite plantings provide two distinct vineyard conditions within the range.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range centres on Gamay, with wines from granite soils and cru bottlings. The 2015 Moulin-à-Vent is a floral wine with strawberry and cherry undertones, full to medium body, dense and chewy tannins, and a medium fruity finish.
Brun releases his wines approximately one year after harvest, a quick schedule for Burgundy wines. The bottles combine early release with the tannic shape of Gamay grown on granite soils.