by Tim York » Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:27 pm
Morgon 2009 Vieilles Vignes- Domaine Michel Guignier, Villié-Morgon - Alc.13% - (c.€8)
This one was much better than last night's Chiroubles from Duboeuf and restores my confidence in 2009. Quite deep colour with purple tints. Aromas of red fruit (like red currant) and stony minerals and a medium bodied palate with some roundness and depth, crisp moreish acidity, a touch of salinity, good supporting structure without the aggressive tannins of the Duboeuf Chiroubles and good space for development and retro-olefaction of the aromas. Being Morgon there should be ageing potential but it is very nice now if not having quite the magic of the Lapierre; 16/20.
(I am somewhat puzzled about this vigneron, who claims organic methods close to organic without using the name. First, I find no mention of him in any of my French reference books, including the fairly comprehensive Hachette, which surprises me given the quality (see also Améthystes below). Second, a Google search reveals apparently two distinct estates of exactly the same name, this one in Villié-Morgon and another in Vauxrenard, which produces Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie and Beaujolais Villages (NB several estates with the same family name are common in wine growing but with these two both the first and family names are identical). To complicate matters further one of the Michel Guignier, I think the Villié-Morgon one, runs a négociant business called Domaine des Améthystes and here is a note from May last year on one of their wines.)
Chiroubles 2006 – Michel Guignier – Domaine des Améthystes- Alc.12.5%. Guignier himself is an organic producer but this Domaine label seems to cover his négociant activity. The wine is exhilarating with brightly quaffable Gamay prune laced fruit, strong minerality, lively acidity, round body, a touch of friendly rusticity and that bright tangy fragrance typical of Chiroubles; 16/20++.
Tim York