Tasted in Villé-Morgon with Louis-Benoît Desvignes, 07 February 2023.
Louis-Claude Desvignes
135, rue de la Voûte
69910 Villié-Morgon
Tel: +33 4 74 04 23 35
www.louis-claude-desvignes.com
More reports for Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes
On 2022:
“We are really happy, quality-wise it could be great but it was ‘delicate’ during the growing season – the best surprise was the elegance of the wines which it wasn’t clear we would have during the warm summer – more elegant than 2020 or 2009 I think. Hailed on 3 ha – without that we may have harvested 35-36 hl/ha – in the end, we lost not too much with 32 hl/ha – we remain enthusiastic.”
On 2021:
“A very small volume – we have 7 hectares in Javernières and it was all strongly frosted. I’ve been here for 18 years, I remember 2008 and 2012 as being difficult but maybe 2021 is my new benchmark! A few weeks after the frost the soils were still cold, which isn’t bad but the rain that came in the early summer was heaven for the crypotgramic diseases – it’s the smallest volume we ever made. It’s an older style vintage – by that, I mean the great areas are great and the less great areas are less great and you really see these differences. I like it very much for that. We 65% destemmed in this vintage.”
The wines…
As usual, all was sold-out at the domaine – but I made my own special search and bought a couple of bottles of their spectacular Javernières! Many superb wines and not the slightest suggestion of pyrazines…
Bottling normally done between March and July – ‘We like to catch the freshness of the wines:’
2021 Morgon La Voûtre St.Vincent
From 4.5 hectares of vines in the climat Douby and vines in the direction of Fleurie. Average 60-year-old vines, usually the first to be harvested. Made with a 14-day maceration in cement tanks, with some destemming for this cuvée since 2008.
Pure red berries – nice. Open, pure, almost delicate – I find the clarity and accessibility exciting and delicious! Super wine – long too!
More open – just as much energy and clarity – perfumed fruit – this has a great nose! Again more energy – juicy, delicious – vin dangereux! Too delicious – bravo!
2021 Morgon Montpellains
Another quite new cuvée but in the domaine for a long time, was made in 2005 too but is normally blended into the St.Vincent – some clay here so a little like Javernières.
A deeper nose, this speaks with a quieter voice but my attention is held. Fuller, calmer, rounder, but not with any less intensity or clarity – this is for waiting while drinking the previous two. Clean – finishing – zack! Super wine.
2021 Morgon Château Gaillard
The vines here from the end of 2019 – just over a hectare – also (like another of their cuvées) in Douby but these are old vines so vinified separately. Only 16 hl/ha – the frost was strong here. Old vines three ages from the 1920s to the 1960s.
A more perfumed nose – growing in the high tones. Clean and energetic – as all – impact, a detonation of flavour, then floral in the finish. That’s so impressive but also for keeping – excellent wine.
2021 Morgon Côte de Py
90-year-old vines.
Deep, yet this is a tighter nose – slowly allowing the release of some floral high tones. Supple, super texture – slightly velvet. Juicily mouth-watering. Then broad, broad, broad over the palate with superb intensity. Superb wine – only a nose away from great!
East-facing bottom of Cote du Py. A different soil, so separated. There’s more clay here, and the grapes are a little slower maturing – here needs more time.
More delicate but much more complex – a simply gorgeous nose – bravo! There’s an ease in which this complex wine dances over the palate – and I would have no shame in drinking it today too – such is the balance – great wine – my wine of day two (and 1 this year so far)!
No Impenitents this year, all was blended into this wine.
The second vintage for this – 0.61 ha acquired the same time as the Beaujolais. High in Javernières an old massale selection.
There was a bit less frost, it’s higher – vines from 1931 – a small cuvée 16 hl
A more seamless width of aroma – lovely aroma! There are characters of the previous wine here – but like the nose, in a more seamless style rather than the direct and energetic precisions of the Javernières. A beauty, possibly also great wine – but I have been spoiled by the Javernières!