Damien Bonnet

Damien’s wines are among the finest in Gaillac, full of poise and precision. His secret? “I listen and let nature express itself while taking good care of it. You have to be vigilant. I’ve learned to act at the right time and play on different balances.”

Damien Bonnet, Domaine de Brin

Domaine de Brin is an organic and biodynamic vineyard located 15 minutes from Cordes Sur Ciel, between Albi and Gaillac. A chalky path through the vines leads to the the heart of the estate: an L-shaped farmhouse with huge barns where Damien houses his wines, tractors and vintage cars. The views stop you in your steps: “Our land benefits from crop rotation: lentils, chickpeas, linen, lucerne, barley, wheat and sunflowers, and the oak forests around the plots create a peaceful, welcoming environment for animals, insects and plants which are all essential for soil life.”

When Damien was a child, all the grapes grown on the farm were sold to a cooperative: “Each generation has taken the estate in a different direction - polyculture, animal-breeding, there was even a slaughterhouse here once, and all that time, the vines have stayed in place.” Damien took over in 2008 with a clear vision: “I really wanted to make my own wine. I studied viticulture and oenology, but by visiting other vignerons and doing lots of tastings, I discovered a different approach. I realised that if you have strong, healthy vines, you can get beautiful, perfectly ripe grapes which means you don’t have to use any inputs in the winery and you can craft wines with an identity that reflects the best of your terroir and grape varieties.”

Damien cultivates 8 local grape varieties on 14 hectares: Loin de L’oeil, Mauzac, Braucol and Duras which have been rooted in these clay-limestone soils since the beginning, and Prunelart, Ondenc and Pink Mauzac which he has integrated little by little. The harvests are manual, the vinifications natural. He keeps the white wines and red wines in two separate cellars and in all sorts of different vessels: clay amphores, sandstone jars, steel tanks and large wooden foudres, “I like to diversify,” says Damien“the vessels play a really important role in the profile of the wines. I’m always searching and questioning to adapt and evolve. That’s how a new wine comes to life. There’s no preset recipe at Domaine de Brin.”

In the Autumn, he opens the doors to allow the vent d’autan to circulate because “the wind promotes fermentation,” then he just watches and listens. He tastes and tests, making choices as he goes along. There’s no stirring or pumping over and he uses sulphur with absolute parsimony, just a small dose at bottling. His wines are pure Gaillac crafted with infinite elegance. Pierres Blanches is a beautifully balanced dry white : a blend of Mauzac and Loin de L’oeil on ripe apples and pears with a tingling minerality. His Mauzac is simply delicious: the grapes are macerated on the skins for 3 weeks and aged in sandstone jars. UK wine reviewer Nick Rowan at Vivino says it’s his favourite Mauzac to date : “a lovely texture from skin contact gives it some body. Lots of red apple flesh, light melon, peach skin and a hint of herbs. Medium acidity.  Nice lingering apple finish.” The young reds are fresh and juicy: there’s Vendemia (Duras, Braucol and Prunelart) with notes of wild crushed berries, Anthocyanes - a purple prince on blackberries, dark cherries and spices - 65% Braucol and 35% Syrah matured in tanks and large oak barrels. Brin de Temps is the emblematic wine of the estate: a shapely blend of Duras and Braucol aged in 500l barrels for 22 months. It opens on spring violets and peonies and has a gorgeous silky mouthfeel on cassis. It’s ready to drink now or can be aged for much, much longer. If you’re a fan of single variety wines, don’t miss Damien’s Braucol: a blueberry-bramble experience matured in sandstone jars.

If you’re ‘dans le coin’, ask for Brin. You can’t go wrong.

At a Glance

Hectares

14

Terroir

Gentle clay-limestone slopes and plateaus. The red varieties are planted on the plots with the most clay and the whites on the chalky, rocky heights.

Grape Varieties

Mauzac Vert, Mauzac Rose, Loin de l’oeil, Ondenc, Braucol, Duras, Prunelart, Syrah.

Website

Domaine de Brin

Selected Wines

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Charles Bonnafont