Tatsed in Morgon with Michel Guignier, 07 February 2023.
Domaine Michel Guignier
SARL Améthystes
Cave de la Robe Rouge,
1910 route de Belleville,
69910 Villié-Morgon
Tel: +33 4 74 65 08 66
www.morgon-michel-guignier.fr
We tasted in the Cave de la Robe – a 4-year-old retailer of good, not just Beaujolais, wines and a restaurant too. This is in the family with the generation after Michel responsible for the restaurant.
“I’m the 4th generation – my great-grandfather started in Regnié and the family home is still there. 33 years ago I bought a domaine in Morgon and it remains the core of the domaine. I’ve been organic since 2006 – of course, my great-grandfather and grandfather had no chemicals but it was a tool of my father and I learned the same way – using all these tools. My wife had more ecological ideas and I’d never stopped working the soils – my father used a blend of treatments and working the soil. I remain interested in biodynamics – but really follow more the cycles of the moon to decide whether I’m working on the wines or in the vines… I have always respected the whole cluster fermentations – with full maturity – harder in a vintage like 2021 but I do like to wait to harvest!”
Michel on 2021:
“21 and 22 have low volumes here – 21 has vivacious freshness and minerality after the roundness of 2020.”
The wines…
In a difficult vintage due to lots of green wines – this is was an exemplary range – clean, pure and attractive – it’s a good address.
The first three wines all with tank elevage – the two Morgons have some (228-litre) barrel elevage:
2021 Beaujolais
From Lantignié on granitic sand
Depth of darker berry fruit aroma. Concentration and a fine generosity – the texture is excellent with just the faintest grain of tannin but no dryness. The finish is simply lovely – that’s a fine, indeed excellent finishing flavour for the label.
2021 Chiroubles
Vines up to 500m.
A round nose – tighter but still clean and interesting. Round in the mouth too but with a little structure that’s visible. Open, fine flavour – that’s just a beautiful wine. Wait 2 years then enjoy…
2021 Brouilly
Much more open and energetic – flowers and more herbs but not to the green side – very Beaujolais. Here is energy again – broadening over the palate – becoming juicy – but always supple and supporting you – the drinker! Simply a delicious wine and despite a modest finishing tannin, this is a wine I could drink today.
2021 Morgon Côte du Py
First vintage – south-facing vines – more blue stone here. Some barrel elevage here too – ‘My idea is the oxygenation, not the flavour so my barrels are 10-12, even 15 years old’
The nose has some softness – also to the red fruit. Extra impact and freshness in the mouth, though – the core texture silky but the tannin slowly exerts and despite no grain there’s a little dryness creeping in – but full of flavour energy and nice shape – keep -3-4 years before attacking – super again – and very long.
2021 Morgon Canon
Bottom of Côte du Py more on the flats – no-longer blue-stone a more granitic, sandy soil here.
Some extra, higher-toned berry fruit at the core of this. Larger scale today in the mouth – the texture of velvet as the tannic grain starts to show – and there’s plenty of tannin but with almost no drying. Here’s a wine of scale – impressively finishing – it’s also a wine that you should wait for – it’s Morgon! But an excellent Morgon!