2018 Clos de Mez Morgon Chateau Gaillard, Beaujolais

Chateau Gaillard is the name of the lieu-dit that this wine comes from having been passed to Marie-Elodie from her grandmother. This lieu-dit lies very close to the border of Morgon in the northern part of the Morgon appellation bordering on to Fleurie. From a plot of 60+ year old vines with very low yields giving a wine of great depth and ageing potential. Grapes are sorted as they are picked in each plot of the vineyard; in whole bunches, the grapes are moved to the vats by a system of gravity. Pre-fermentation maceration at cold temperature is carried out for few days, followed by alcoholic fermentation interspersed by cap-punching and pumping-over. After tasting, the grapes are removed from the vats after 2 to 3 weeks. 40 to 50% of this wine is matured in barrels for 9 months. After blending the wine in barrels with the other quantity in vats, maturing continues for 12 more months. Then, another additional year is necessary after bottling to appreciate the vintage in its first stage of plenitude. Afterwards, time will be the wine’s best ally to enable it to achieve its fullest development. The 2018 vintage of this wine is strikingly deep and concentrated yet with freshness and ample balance to both enjoy now or to cellar with confidence. Rich and spicy yet so attractive right now - this wont last long.

Very ripe black-fruit character that edges towards overripeness, but this well structured wine also has lively acidity and carries this expansive scale. Quite meaty on the mid-palate, in the way some syrah Rhône reds are, but supple at the long finish. Drink or hold.”

92 points jamessuckling.com March 2021