Beaujolais, an atypical region, has long been misunderstood by wine lovers and is too often considered as the forgotten little sister of Burgundy. However, the Beaujolais vineyards, like the Burgundy coast, offer a mosaic of terroirs, an incredible wealth giving multiple facets and a multitude of possibilities to its wines. The entire Beaujolais vineyard covers almost 20,000 hectares, and distinguishes 12 appellations including ten distinct "lieux-dits", commonly called "crus" of Beaujolais. Among them: Fleurie and Morgon.
Fleurie
Like the very first paid vacations in France, the Fleurie appellation has been known and recognized since 1936 by decree. Nearly 150 winegrowers share 840 hectares of vines planted with the famous Gamay, the king grape variety of Beaujolais, but also with a few other "accessory" grape varieties (grape varieties authorized up to a maximum of 15% in each parcel): the indisputable Chardonnay, the beautiful Melon de Bourgogne, and the irreplaceable Aligoté. Most of the vineyards are planted on pink granite soils (90%), and Gamay and its acolytes seem to thrive on these beautiful Bacchic soils. It is true that the Fleurie vineyard dominates the Saône and reaches an altitude of between 250 and 400 meters, giving its more or less steep slopes multiple exposures that are undoubtedly favorable to vine growing. On the heights of the village, the famous Madonna of Fleurie and her little chapel, which has watched over the ripening grapes for many years, is judiciously installed on the highest point of the vineyard to ensure its protection. La Madone is one of the ten recognized climates in the Fleurie appellation, along with La Roilette and Grille-midi. In Fleurie, Gamay is king, thanks to the beautiful terroirs and the fabulous winegrowers of the appellation who have given it all its letters of nobility. The wines of Fleurie are seen as singular when compared to other Beaujolais appellations. Endowed with a nice roundness and velvety tannins in the mouth, the wines of Fleurie also know how to surprise us with their great finesse but also with their beautiful full-bodied structure. This appellation is coveted by wine lovers, and this is no exception at iDealwine, as you know, dear wine lovers, we are equipped with a sharp selection ;).
If you wish to discover or rediscover the wines of Fleurie, we invite you to start with the beautiful cuvée of Domaine Descombes. After having vinified several Beaujolais crus, Georges Descombes now signs his wines with a single objective: to let the grapes and the terroir express themselves with the greatest accuracy. Thus, Descombes produces a natural fleurie, balanced and silky, with a delicate aromatic bouquet. How can we not also mention the wines of Marc Delienne and his numerous cuvées of fleurie: Abbaye road and Greta Carbo for example. Eloi Dürrbach's faithful friend (Domaine de Trevallon) has been cultivating his 14 hectares of biodynamic vines since 2016 and has been producing balanced wines with a disconcerting gourmet taste, "glou-glou" (meaning easy to drink) florias, without losing their depth and complexity. You will have understood, we invite you to discover them urgently (and to give us news of them)!
Morgon
Approximately 1,100 hectares, the Morgon vineyard is much larger than some of the other Beaujolais crus. It is the second largest, coming in just behind the Brouilly appellation. Here, nearly 250 winegrowers share this thousand hectares of vines. The magic of Morgon wines comes from the superb terroirs of the village of Villié-Morgon, most of which are very famous in the Beaujolais region and well known by wine lovers: La Côte du Py, les Charmes, Javernières, Corcelette, les Micouds, and Douby. Thanks to these beautiful vineyards, the wines of Morgon easily reflect the most beautiful expressions of Gamay! The vines are planted on granite (52%), bluestone (11%), and foothills (37%) soils that give Morgon wines a unique taste compared to other crus of the region. Indeed, recognizable among all, by their power and their structured structure, the nectars of Morgon reveal aromas of ripe stone fruits such as cherry or plum, brandy and kirsch. These dense and fleshy wines have even given rise to a well-known wine expression: the verb "morgonner" to speak of a wine that has these characteristic aromas. The wines of Morgon evolve very well over time and, thanks to their structure, have a great capacity for ageing.
We invite you to discover this magnificent appellation through the work of an estate that needs no introduction, Domaine Lapierre, considered by many as the precursor of natural wines in Beaujolais. The property produces fleshy, greedy and tasty nectars, representative of the appellation. La Bonne Tonne also produces fresh and fruity morgons, notably with its Grand Cras vintage. Adept of biodynamic viticulture, La Bonne Tonne is not very interventionist in the vineyard as well as in the cellar and prefers to let nature do its work, so as not to upset the balance, and this can be felt in the juice. The wines, full of greed, are supple and digestible, and promise a beautiful evolution if you wish to keep them a little in the cellar. One cannot talk about Morgon wines without mentioning the famous domain Jean Foillard, who works with an inimitable meticulousness, "under the microscope" to use the expression of the Revue du vin de France. The cuvées vinified naturally are remarkable for their freshness, and their right balance between greed and structure. Two bottles not to be missed: the Camille cuvée and the Morgon villages available in magnum in the concentrated and seductive 2020 vintage.
Very nice gamays that represent perfectly the great terroirs of Morgon: to be tasted without delay!
