Brun’s 2007 Beaujolais Rose d’Folie – another outstanding wine of an obscure genre – smells of fresh raspberries and strawberries. These then re-appear on the palate in the most vivid imaginable form. Suggestions of salinity and chalk add further flavor interest, but this wine’s mission is delivering irresistibly luscious red fruits, and that is accomplished at low alcohol and non-existent residual sugar. The prevalence of chalky soils in the south of Beaujolais is the principle reason why this area is classified merely as “Beaujolais” rather than “Beaujolais-Villages.” But it is also a reason why Chardonnay can achieve outstanding results here, even if there are few examples (even fewer of which carry the “Beaujolais Blanc” rather than “Bourgogne” appellation). Jean-Paul Brun’s is not just a too little-known treasure of Beaujolais, it is among the handful of consistently finest value Chardonnays on the planet.Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334-8191