2015 M & C Lapierre, Morgon Cru Beaujolais, France.
Expressive and outgoing, the latest Mathieu Lapierre Morgon is a beauty with glorious mouth feel and hedonistic charm and pure Gamay character. Fruity and spicy the 2015 has the same level of pleasure that the 2009 did when young, and this warm vintage benefits the house style and allows the natural acidity to feel rather more subdued, while still keeping things fresh and vibrant. This might be my favorite young Morgon yet from Lapierre in the ten years I’ve been following and buying this wine, it certainly impresses with detail, life and depth of flavors with lots of blue, black and red fruits, mineral notes and fleshy texture as well as having a nice core structure and base of silky tannin and lift. The late Marcel Lapierre inspired a new generation of natural winemakers, and his son Mathieu ( and his sister Camille) continues on his path, but adding his own flair and refinement with each vintage. The wine is made in the vineyard with all organic methods and hard work, attention to every detail and a light touch in the cellar with only native yeasts, neutral cask and very low sulfur employed. This 2015 Morgon, imported by Kermit Lynch, is the “S” cuvee, which is the lightly sulfured bottling, as opposed to the “N” cuvee that is unsulfured or non sulfur that was the only version imported in the last few years, I believe because of the higher levels of ripeness in the vintage, it has to have just a touch, and we are talking extremely low amounts to stabilize and protect this wine. Sometimes a little sulfur dulls a young wine, but not here, and while not as exotic as some vintages, this is a classic from Lapierre and it should get even better with some bottle age, this is gorgeous stuff. Beautiful violets, dark roses, blackberry, currant and anise left from the glass in this deeply hued Gamay with a palate following up on the nose with vivid plum, blueberry, walnut and strawberry as well along with a streak of blood orange, earth and tangy/savory array of pepper and flinty stones, cinnamon/nutmeg and herb tea. Lovely balance and vitality hold everything in check here with a poised energy and a seamless flow of flavors and round open mouth feel with a lengthy finish that is still a hint crisp. If you love Lapierre this is a vintage to stock up on, it still leads the way in almost all measures; pleasure, playfulness and passion in a serious field of great wines!
($35 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
