Jean-Paul Brun is a quiet man who lives alone in a tiny, rural village northwest of Lyon, in southern Burgundy. The village, Charnay, sits dead center in the so-called “Terres Dorées,” a region named after the golden calcareous stones lining its vineyards. The area’s red wines suffer an “ugly duckling” status because the local terroir lacks the complexity necessary to compete with world-class Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir of neighboring appellations. Fortunately, Jean-Paul’s property is absolutely perfect for producing marvelously complex, rich, and structured Champagne-method sparkling wine. Furthermore, real estate and labor are dramatically cheaper in Charnay versus Champagne—and the climate is far more stable—so these delicious handmade wines are produced for half the cost of most mass-produced Champagne. This specific blanc de blancs bottling, “Charme,” comes from a small, 60-year-old organic vineyard that surrounds the farmhouse in which Jean-Paul grew up, and still inhabits today. It is aged for three years, hand-riddled, and every detail of its conception has been labored over with the same focus and care as a bottle of handcrafted grower Champagne.  This is the real deal.  

In the glass, Jean-Paul Brun’s Crémant de Bourgogne Extra Brut “Charme” is even and brilliant pale blond, with lively, youthful bubbles. On the nose it has everything I want from a blanc de blancs Champagne: fleshy golden apples and soft pear notes, chalky minerality, and a faint echo of toasted nut and brioche aromas. This release delivers energetic acidity, mouthwatering freshness and a feeling of “completeness” that often evades sparkling wines at this price point. Lemon blossom, honey crisp apple, biscotti, and vanilla bean notes slowly unwind as the wine’s impressively persistent and dry finish echoes into the distance. Please serve this joyful, unpretentious wine in an all-purpose stem at 50 degrees. It's a party in a glass, made all the better with these tasty gougères as an accompaniment—that’s next-level entertaining at an everyday cost.