14/01/2021
The world of wine can be a rather fun place. Full of mystique, wonder, and often far too much complication for what its worth. A region (that doesn't get its due in my view) is Beaujolais.
Beaujolais is a region that is steeped in history. Parts of the region can trace their heritage back to the Romans, Juliénas for example was named after Julius Caesar himself way back when France was known as Gaul.
The main grape to be found is Gamay. A grape that at one point in time was spread over most of the vineyards in Burgundy. In 1395 however the Duke of Burgundy Philippe the Bold, thought Gamay as nothing more than a bad and disloyal plant!
It now has pride of place within the Beaujolais. A style that many may know well is Beaujolais Nouveau. It is a style that is far from the true Beaujolais, but one that took the world by storm a few decades ago and (although easy to drink, granted) wasn't what Gamay stood for and what it could be turned into.
This is where a winemaker by the name of Marcel Lapierre comes in. In Alice Feiring's book "The Dirty Guide to Wine", he is quoted as saying "The two tits of the Beaujolais were sulphur and sugar" - meaning that under ripe grapes were picked, then a concoction of sugar and sulphur were added during fermentation for stability - sounds awful if you ask me!
In 1981 he took over the family domaine and began a conversion to Organic farming, natural winemaking and no sulphur were the way forward, and started a revolution in the region and (one could argue) the world of wine.
There are 10 different cru's within the region of Beaujolais:
All have their own uniqueness. Some are more "famous" than others. Lapierre's style however from Morgon for me is the epitome of where Beaujolais is at the moment. He unfortunately passed away in 2010, leaving his son Mathieu and daughter Camille running the domaine, to which they are doing a fine job indeed. The estate is certified Organic, and now are practicing Biodynamic too. With 15ha in total, their wines a very much sought after.
I personally love the entry level Morgon, 2018. A Gamay that has seen 10 months ageing in old Prieuré-Roch casks from Burgundy, with just a small amount of sulphur added at bottling. It's viney fruit character, crunchy texture, and vibrancy makes it a winner for me - utterly delicious. Its fresh, flavoursome and full of delicious grape juice - what more could you possibly want?
This wine is available from Vine Trail in the UK - Vine Trail | Follow your nose