2021 Jean-Marc Burgaud Grands Cras Morgon, Beaujolais

An ample and succulent wine, with notes of wild berries, smoked game and orange rind. The body is supple and sensual with a lively acid line and a mineral, saline finish. 

Grapes are sourced from the lieu-dit, Grand Cras, with vines over 80 years old grown on alluvial soil at 250m elevation. Carbonic maceration of the whole berries lasts 12 to 15 days, and the wine is raised in barrel as well as tank.

Domaine Jean-Marc Burgaud began in 1989 and has slowly expanded to now cover 13ha in Morgon, 1ha in Régnié and 5ha of Beaujolais Villages. Of the Morgon holdings, 8ha lie on the hillside of Côte du Py and are on average more than 50 years old. Before establishing his winery at the age of 22, Burgaud completed a diploma in oenology and viticulture, but his learning began long before that, drawing on the long history and traditions of the regional producers who came before him. Burgaud follows the rhythm of the seasons and has farmed using organic principles for more than 10 years, working his densely planted vineyards by hand and horse. Burgaud vinifies with traditional Burgundian methods: whole cluster maceration in concrete vats for variable durations according to the vintage and the appellation. Only indigenous yeasts are used in the cellar and, with the exception of sulphur at bottling, nothing is added during the vinification process as he seeks typical wines of terroir.

Beaujolais is an important wine region of eastern France, famous for its vibrant, fruity red wines made from Gamay. It is located immediately south of Burgundy, but is officially part of the Rhone administrative region Morgon is one of the ten Beaujolais Crus which together comprise the finest vine-growing terroir in the region. It is deservedly renowned for the distinctive character of its wines, which display dense cherry and dark fruit characters, controlled richness moderated by balanced acidity, juicy fresh texture on the palate and complexing spicy and smoky notes. The soils of Morgon are varied throughout the Cru and feature volcanic earth mixed with decomposing granite and in some areas a crumbling schist rock that is rich in iron and Manganese.

The elevated vineyards in Morgon enjoy superb aspects and protection from damp airflows provided by high hills to the West. In typical vintages grapes ripen in warm sunny conditions and disease pressure is low, with acidity retained by cool dry winds from the South which moderate the accumulation of sugars. All of these elements combine to provide the potential for dynamic and lively wines with intriguing underlying complexity.