Louis-Claude Desvignes – 2015

18.3.2017billn

tasted in Villé-Morgon with Jean-Baptiste and Claude Emmanuelle, 17 February 2017.

Louis-Claude Desvignes
135, rue de la Voûte
69910 Villié-Morgon
Tel: +33 4 74 04 23 35
www.louis-claude-desvignes.com

On 2016:
The 2016 vintage a grand classic for Beaujolais. Of-course it’s the result of a lot of effort and lots of perturbations – we were twice hailed – we lost the equivalent of 2 from 11 hectares – finally we brought in about 27 hectolitres per hectare. It was really hard in the first part of the vintage but the reward was waiting at the harvest.

On 2015:
26 hectolitres per hectare – so less than in 2016. In terms of the amount of work that was needed it was really the reverse of 2016 – we could virtually stop working in the vines at the start of July as there was no growth of weeds. It was just a little wetter in August – 22 mm of rain but it was really, really needed. It is a great vintage, of-course it is also a sunny vintage. It’s seductive and charming. You could say the same about the syrah of the Rhône too though!

And on the market that they see: “The market is effectively good, but, we lack wine and 2016 won’t help the situation.

The wines…

The wines here are ripe but no sign of sur-maturity. They showed really well on this visit – super!

2015 Morgon La Voûtre St.Vincent
From 5 hectares of vines in the climat Doubie 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.
A rather tight, seemingly silky nose, slightly accented with a little pepper. Really super-silky. A line of flavour, a sleek line of flavour. Long and narrow – really a fine length too. Just a little tannin and a more floral impression in the finish. I find this very impressive wine!

2015 Morgon Côte de Py
From the north-east of the hill, 90-year-old vines and no destemming.
Much more depth of aroma – this is much more open aromatically. More volume in the mouth, fresh intense, more micro-grained tannin – more dimension of flavour. Slowly adding layer after layer. This is a little less direct, a little less silky but it is great wine. Bravo!
2015 Morgon Javernières
A different soil, so separated. There’s more clay here, and the grapes are a little slower maturing – here needs more time.
Also a nose that’s more open – here the emphasis is on the higher tones – more weight of floral notes. Rather than a wine with extra volume, this is a wine with extra width – really a melting style of fruit flavour that slowly saturates the palate. Tannic texture for sure but virtually without grain. Bravo again! Hard to believe 14.5°!
2015 Morgon Javernières Les Impenitents
A black sheep on the label. This second cuvée of Javernières is made from a much older parcel of vines ‘Les Impenitents’ – more than 100 years-old vines. There’s some destemming here but less.
More freshness, a classicism of aroma, almost an impression that tannin might await too with a musky spicy/pepper impression. Deep, deep, darker fruit. Again a base of texture-adjusting tannin but no grain to speak of – in terms of shape it’s round but not the largest of volume or nose but there is an innate density here that is different. Fresh finishing, layered in the finish, here a little spicy. Profound but really to wait for!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

Burgundy Report

Translate »

You are using an outdated browser. Please update your browser to view this website correctly: https://browsehappy.com/;