Lapierre Morgon 2024

Region: Beaujolais, France

Grape Variety: Gamay

Marcel Lapierre was one of the winemakers dubbed the “gang of four” by importer Kermit Lynch when he started buying their wines in the early 1980’s. At the time this group of winemakers were rebelling against the modernization of the region as growers sought to sell their grapes to large commercial producers. Today the term “natural” is thrown around for producers who farm organically, do not add yeast to their ferments and bottle with minimal sulfur, but these producers were doing this 45 years ago! 

2023 is a marvelous vintage for Beaujolais, and after two small harvests in 2021 and 2022, there is also good quantities of most producers. Lapierre’s Morgon’s are powerful and quite dense, with firm tannins that give the wines amazing potential. (I put two bottles in my cellar each year and am just now drinking the 2016s if that gives you an indication.)