2017 Domaine M. Lapierre Morgon

Beaujolais, France

Lapierre is one of the most well-known Beaujolais producers, undoubtedly famed for the work of Marcel Lapierre in spearheading a movement to increase the quality of Beaujolais wines in the 1980’s by using the old techniques of organic and chemical free viticulture and winemaking processes. Use of herbicides in the vineyards and chemical additions to the wine was a means of producing wines more efficiently but Lapierre and a small group of other winemakers realized the benefits of using traditional (Natural) techniques to make beautiful high-quality wines. Maintaining low yielding old vines with no chemical herbicides or pesticides, late harvesting for maximum ripeness, meticulous hand picking and sorting to ensure only the best clean grapes are used, and limited use of sulphur only at bottling are the hallmarks of these traditional practices and the resulting wines are clean, delicious, and ultimately “crushable”.

Marcel passed away after the 2010 harvest and the domaine has been run by his children, Mathieu and Camille, who have maintained the high standards and quality winemaking they are known for. This wine, made from 100% Gamay grapes, is made with a semi-carbonic maceration and aged in old oak barrels for a period of 9 months. Unfined and unfiltered, the wine is given only a small dose of sulphur at bottling, although if the vintage allows and the wines are stable enough, a zero sulphur bottling will also be made.

The 2017 Lapierre Morgon is bursting with layers of red berries, mostly cherries (bing cherry, sour cherry, canned cherry pie filling, and cherry nibs), with raspberry and plum thrown in for good measure. Hints of forest moss, gravel, and fresh flowers provide the foundation for all the fresh fruit to stand on. The wine has power but is elegantly balanced with silky tannins and the right amount of acidity to keep it energetic and able to pair well with a variety of foods.

Enjoy this wine with homemade pizza, chicken tacos, curries, or anytime you’re thirsty!

$46.95