2018 Domaine Des Terres Dorees Fleurie
2018 Domaine Des Terres Dorees Fleurie L’Ancien comes from Jean Paul’s oldest vines–hence the name of the wine–in his home village of Charnay in the southern Beaujolais. They range in age from 40 to 60 years old and are planted on slopes sporting the area’s signature sandy clay-limestone soils, featuring the particular local “dorée” or “golden” limestone that is laden with iron. These older vines have always been farmed organically and harvested by hand and yield small, thick-skinned Gamay berries. As for all Terres Dorées reds, the vinification is traditional Burgundian. The grapes are rigorously sorted and destemmed, crushed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats.
French Vines
The vines of Mâcon-Charnay-lès-Mâcon grow on the tops of the long mountainous range that runs from Tournus in the north to Chaintré in the south. They enjoy a very southerly climate that is hot with around 850mm rainfall annually, and the singing cicadas offer a Mediterranean feel. In winter, fog is less frequent here than in the Saône Valley.
Between the hamlets of Levigny at 260 meters above sea level and Le Voisinet at 200 meters above sea level, the vines gently descend the slope from north to south, joining the valley of the Petite Grosne. The Jurassic ridge of Levigny is characterized by alternating layers of limestone massives and soft marl. One also finds yellow limestone specific to this area, where stones known as “cailles” appear, which shatter when they come in contact with fire. This area has the best drainage, and as a consequence is well-suited to vine growing. Closer to the river, the vines, which still face south-southwest, are spread out more irregularly on Quaternary alluvium and limestone scree from an alluvial fan.