Marcel Lapierre Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2023

Domaine Marcel Lapierre Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2023

Marcel Lapierre took over the family domaine from his father in 1973, and in a familiar story he was heavily influenced by Jules Chauvet in the 1980 s and begun to translate those learnings to his wines. Shunning the use of synthetic herbicides or pesticides, his old vines were tended with great care before harvesting and sorting only the healthiest, fully ripened grapes. Lapierre wines are bright and fleshy, and represent the essence of great Morgon. Following Marcel s passing in 2010, his son Mathieu and daughter Camille now confidently continue the great work that their father pioneered.

In the 1980s Lapierre was dubbed one of the Gang of Four by well respected American importer Kermit Lynch - these wines along with those of Foillard, Breton and Thevenet became increasingly popular and exclusively harder to obtain. Along the journey these Lapierre have continued to be incredibly difficult to procure, so it s fantastic to see them back in the shop after a period of absence. 

The 2023 is classic Lapierre - Really powerful aromatics of peonies, purple florals, lavendar - sweet hued but with a framing savoury edge like concrete and tilled earth that keeps it all in balance. Elegant and pure on the palate, with kirsch, ripe strawberries, confected raspberry an airy density that flows seamlessly through the palate, and an underlying acid tension that provides freshness keeping everything in check. Its classically Morgon in structure, ferric with a suggestion of firmness - a finished derived from both stem tannin and the earth it s grown in. Lovely drink.