there have not been posts lately because i have been working through the french wine society curriculum and doing the course in washington, dc. amazing experience and a huge number of wines.
as a post for tonight, Domaine Marcel LaPierre Morgon, 2009. this is a really exceptional wine. it is a beaujolais, but it absolutely has nothing to do with nouveau. this is a cru beaujolais and is meant to age. admittedly, drinking this wine young was infanticide but it certainly gave us pleasure. the color is a vibrant and clear red. the nose is of spicy red fruits- cranberries and raspberries. there is a nice and well balanced minerality and acidity with a silky finish. the wine is meant to age but certainly is enjoyable in its youth. with food, there was a distinct peppery taste to the wine. it stood up well to the meal (a variant of the classic chicken with 40 cloves of garlic).
Marcel LaPierre has an interesting history. he inherited the family vineyards and initially followed the course in beaujolais. then he decided the direction the region was taking was not consistent with the land, the grapes, and his heritage. he broke with tradition and became progressively more natural in his handling of his wines (the web site and local writings say he does not use sulfur, but our bottle lists sulfur on the label). it took a number of years for his wisdom to be acknowledged. this is the thirdd vintage of his wine i have had and it is consistently wonderful. i look forward to how my cellared case will age.
sadly, Marcel LaPierre passed away a month ago of melanoma. the domaine passes on to his son.
this is a wonderful example of cru beaujolais designed to age, evolve, and express the land of its origin. the producer has the courage to follow a traditional path to produce an exceptional wine. we too often think of "nouveau" when we hear the word beaujolais and such a patterned response limits our possibilities and does not do justice to the region.
that said, this thursday is the third thursday of november...
