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The Morgon appellation is located in the commune of Villié-Morgon in the Beaujolais vineyards. The Beaujolais region, north of Lyon, boasts 12 appellations, including 10 crus. The Morgon appellation is one of the Beaujolais crus, and the other 9 are : Saint-Amour, Chénas, Juliénas, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chiroubles, Brouilly, Régnié and Côte-de-Brouilly.
Morgon produces a dry red wine in the “still” category. The AOC-AOP dual appellation confirms the quality and identity of the wine, as it is both an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (since 1936) and a European Protected Designation of Origin.
The Morgon appellation owes its name to the merger of 2 hamlets…
Morgon owes its name to the commune of Villié-Morgon where it is produced. This commune, 54 kilometers north of Lyon, is the birthplace of the Morgon appellation, the second largest in the Beaujolais vineyards, behind Brouilly.
This same commune was born from the merger of two hamlets: Villié and Morgon. However, as Villié wines are less prestigious than those of Morgon, the appellation inherited the name of just one of the two hamlets.
Morgon has also given rise to a verb that has enriched the vocabulary of winegrowing and winemaking: the verb “morgonner”, which emphasizes the particularity of this wine on the palate. So when a taster uses this particular verb, he’s emphasizing the ability of the Morgon he’s tasting to have specific aromatic characteristics, in particular the aromas of cherry brandy. These specificities are partly due to the terroir, which is laden with decomposed schist, often better known as “roche pourrie” in the Beaujolais region.
Complex soils give Morgon its red ochre color
Villié-Morgon is a village of just over 2,000 inhabitants, where the wine culture is well established. TheMorgon appellation borders the Régnié and Chiroubles appellations. This vineyard, located on the slopes of Mont de Py, enjoys an easterly exposure.
The appellation covers more than 1,120 hectares of vines, making it the second largest appellation after Brouilly.
Its terroir is subject to various climatic influences. In fact, the vineyard’s proximity to the Loire makes for a temperate oceanic climate, with Mediterranean influences in summer and continental influences in winter.
These same terroirs are made up of sandy, clayey and mainly granitic soils. On the surface, we find pink Fleurie granite, known as “roche pourrie” (rotten rock). In addition, on the slopes of the Mont de Py hills, a volcanic deposit makes the stones that reside there green or blue, which will have a differentiating impact on winegrowing. Like the land on which they are produced, Morgon wines are distinguished by their complexity and their red ochre color, which is due to the manganese in the soil.
The estates in this appellation have a minimum vine density of over 6,000 vines per hectare, with a maximum target yield varying between 56 and 63 hectolitres per hectare. As a result, over 55,000 hectolitres of this wine are produced from the vines every year.
Fruit brandy aromas that make Morgon unique
If you read the appellation’s specifications, you’ll realize that 85% of this wine is made from one grape variety. This is the Gamay Noir à jus blanc, a grape variety with an unfortunate tendency to run out of juice, as it is reputed to be weak, but it is fertile. Morgon winemakers can also use Aligoté B, Chardonnay B and Melon B, but in much smaller quantities.
Morgon wines promise an attractive, deep ochre-red color.
On the nose, Morgon is distinguished by its aromas of kirsch and stone fruit. Fruit brandy aromas also make it unique, as we don’t find them in other Beaujolais crus.
The attack is clean and the fleshy texture echoes the sensations of stone fruit and kirsch already perceived during the olfactory phase. Discreet notes of spice can also be detected.
The intensity of the tannins in this robust wine, in perfect harmony with that of the fruit, will allow this powerful Beaujolais to “morgonner”.
Once finished, the wine must have a degree of at least 10.5% by volume and a maximum of 13% by volume if enrichment takes place.
It has an ageing potential of between 3 and 10 years in the cellar. However, we recommend tasting it at its peak, which is usually 5 years after bottling.
Morgon and Reblochon
Morgon goes particularly well with terrines, beef samoussas and apple pie.
It is also known to be served with game as well as cheeses such as cantal or reblochon.
The ideal tasting temperature is between 15 and 16 degrees.
Recent AOC Morgon vintages are out of the ordinary
Morgon boasts several vintages that confirm the quality of the appellation’s wines. 2010 and 2011 have been described as “the best vintages”, but 2005 and 2009 in particular are considered to be the vintages of the millennium.
Exceptional winemakers form the exceptional terroir of AOC Morgon
Marcel Lapierre Estate
In 1973, Marcel Lapierre decided to take over the seven-hectare farm. Since his death in 2005, his wife Marie, son Mathieu and daughter Camille have looked after this beautiful plot of land, farmed organically since 1981. The domaine produces mainly Morgon, with cuvées made from several bottle runs throughout the year, which can result in differences appearing under the same label.
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes
This historic Morgon winery dates back to the 18th century. It is located in the commune of Villié-Morgon, in the Beaujolais region. This estate has remained in the family for eight generations. Located in the Morgon appellation, the estate has been producing Gamay wine since the Middle Ages.
