Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes : Côte du Py 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Morgon 2023 Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a deep red hue with violet nuances, offering crystalline clarity.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet proves complex, dominated by black fruit aromas such as black cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry, underpinned by subtle floral notes. With aeration, mineral notes of wet stone and slate emerge, accompanied by spicy nuances, black tea and violet.

Palate
The palate offers perfect balance with a silky texture and a tannic structure that is both fine and elegant. Lively acidity brings lovely freshness, leading to a remarkably long finish, persisting on red fruit flavours and pronounced minerality.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs wonderfully with rich red meats such as roast leg of lamb or braised beef. It also perfectly accompanies roasted or sauced poultry, as well as traditional dishes such as Lyon sausage served with gratin dauphinois. On the cheese side, it enhances characterful varieties such as Reblochon, Roquefort or Saint-Marcellin, and pairs ideally with a charcuterie board.

Service and storage

This Morgon 2023 is a wine built for aging. While it requires patience to reveal its full potential, its optimal drinking window will extend from around 2030 to 2048.

The authentic expression of a Morgon wine

The estate

Founded in 1712, Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes is a true institution of Beaujolais in France. Located at the heart of the appellation, this historic estate is now run by the eighth generation, embodied by Claude-Emmanuelle and Louis-Benoît Desvignes. Building on an exceptional family heritage, the current owners carry on ancestral expertise while committing to sustainable viticulture, certified organic since 2018. The estate stands out for its commitment to producing structured wines for aging that authentically and rigorously reflect the richness of their terroirs.

The vineyard

The vineyard from which this Morgon originates spans prestigious terroirs such as Côte du Py, Douby and Javernières. The vines, with an average age of seventy years, grow on soils rich in granite, decomposed schist, volcanic rock and iron oxide. Particularly well exposed, notably to the south for Côte du Py, these old vines naturally yield low quantities, favouring optimal grape concentration. Soil work is carried out meticulously, combining mechanical and manual ploughing to preserve the vitality of the land in this region of Beaujolais.

The vintage

The year 2023 stands out as a highly favourable vintage. After a start to the year alternating between cold, warm and humid spells, the growing cycle began smoothly in early April, avoiding any frost episodes. The contrasting months of April and May led to an excellent flowering in June. The summer proved particularly warm and sunny, resulting in early véraison. Despite a cool and humid start to August, the return of warmer weather allowed for harvesting in September under ideal weather conditions.

Winemaking and aging

The making of the Morgon 2023 relies on a rigorous parcel-by-parcel approach. After thorough double sorting, both in the vineyard and in the winery, vinification incorporates a variable proportion of whole bunches, with partial destemming reaching up to 50%. Long macerations are carried out to extract the desired structure. Aging then takes place in cement tanks, a method favoured for providing beneficial micro-oxygenation without imparting woody aromas to the wine. A light filtration is carried out prior to bottling.

Grape variety

100% Gamay