Located in the center of the Cru Beaujolais region, Morgon comprises about 250 wineries spread over 1,100 hectares. In general, Morgon is known for producing some of the fullest bodied and best aging wines in all of the cru Beaujolais region – you can expect a more austere side of Beaujolais in a pour, but one that is also elegant and graceful. And gamay is also helped by a relatively warm and dry climate, boosting its earlier ripening period. James has drunk Morgon with 10 to 20 years of bottle age and the wines are still beautiful to drink and take on an almost pinot noir, Burgundian quality.
Morgon’s diverse soil types – granite, fragile schist and clay – is partly why its wines can range from energetic and bright to structured and spicy. Its most famous subsection, Cote du Py, has an incredible volcanic soil that helps bring out a more complex, dense mineral character. It’s no surprise that our highest-rated Great Value Wine in the list below comes from this area. Looking at the hillsides of Morgon in Beaujolais is an awesome sight and makes one understand the special terroir of the area.
Beaujolais, and Morgon in particular, are noted for often using a vinification technique known as carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration: before the grapes are crushed, they are put into either an entirely carbon gas-filled environment (carbonic maceration) or a carbon-rich environment (semi-carbonic). This allows the fermentation process to begin while the juice is still in the grape, resulting in a more fruit-forward flavor with less tannin. This practice, however, is more of a tradition and not a requirement of wines made in the area. Many winemakers in Morgon and Beaujolais still use more Burgundian or classical techniques to great effect – both methods create excellent and structured wines. We find a year or two of bottle age makes most Morgon better.
