“We like Brun’s wines a lot. They are totally devoid of guile, pretense or artifice.”

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As I was enjoying this wine a few nights ago, I couldn’t help but recall with some amusement the clique that used to dominate a certain major publication’s wine forums back around the turn of the century. These guys worshiped high-end California Cabs and First Growth Bordeaux. They had more dollars than sense, and were prone to spewing the bloated (not to mention bogus) notion that Gamay is somehow a second-class grape variety not worthy of serious consideration.

Anyone who’s had good Beaujolais, and in particular, the wines of Jean-Paul Brun knows what a ridiculous assertion this is. We’ve had a number of them over the years, ranging from Brun’s Domaine des Terres Dorees Beaujolais l’Ancien Vieilles Vignes to his Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, and they have never failed to please. The selection reviewed here may be labeled “Beaujolais,” but it drinks like one of the more prestigious crus. As I wrote back in 2009, “We like Brun’s wines a lot. They are totally devoid of guile, pretense or artifice.”
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