2009 Lapierre Morgon lot "M09TR S 09/09/10" issue tracker (seemingly isolated)

I guess this is part question, part PSA type statement. I have had this wine so far from 2 different sources in different states, both in the Northeast. I got 6 bottles in NYC a few weeks ago (I’d prefer not to mention the retailer’s name here as I doubt that this would be their fault in any way, but feel free to PM me if you’re concerned and I will tell you where I got these) that have the “S” on the back label. I’ve opened 2 of those and they’ve both been bad. They smell a lot like spontaneously fermented beer or beer brewed with cultured brettanomyces. They have the sour citrus, the dust, and the barnyard (which I’m sure in the beer has something to do with brett, but I’ve never had it come across quite this way in wine), and the fruit that should be there is almost nonexistent. It really smells and tastes like there was some kind of problem with contamination by some yeast and/or bacteria, though I’m open to hearing other theories if people have them. As a contrast, I got some bottles here in Maine and have had one of those, which was wonderful. It was among the best Beaujolais I have ever had, extremely different from the bad ones I’ve opened. One of the bad ones was in a single blind flight of 09 crus and the other person there who had had the wine very recently was shocked when they were unveiled. Just so there’s no confusion: I don’t mind a little brett in my wine, in fact I often enjoy it when it’s subtle. This wine was completely overtaken by this element, whatever it is. I see two notes of flawed bottles in CT. One was from this tasting and one is someone I don’t know who says their bottle was “Undrinkable tainted with Brett”. I have to think theirs showed as these ones have. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this problem and what people think it might be. Since I haven’t seen much other evidence, I have to think that most of the wine is fine. Still, I’m pretty worried that 5 years from now I’ll have several bottles of bad wine. I hesitate to throw this in here, but I do wonder if this has anything to do with the low levels of SO2 being used.

Are the importers consistent on both?

Kermit Lynch for both. I see this code on my bad bottles’ back labels: “M09TR S 09/09/10”. The good bottles show a different one.

For what it’s worth, every bottle of '09 LaPierre, and most other recent vintages also, has shown some level of brett, though never overwhelming.

I’m sure the good bottle I had might have had just a bit, but it was nothing like these bottles. I think I’d be hard pressed to find anyone familiar with these wines who wouldn’t say these bad bottles were undrinkably faulty.

Well that suxs! I just received mine from a NYC retailer. Will pop one this week and post about it. The Drouhin Morgon came from the same retailer and was quite nice.

Maybe we can use this thread as a hub to track bottles and how they show (right/wrong, not a TN depository). Please post the importer, store (if you think it is necessary, or maybe just the geography of the store) and any serial info found on the bottle.

The store is in NYC and the importer and batch code are in post #3. I would like it if people with wine from the same batch would open bottles and post their notes here.

Doug, can you amend your title to make it clear. Perhaps, “09 Lapierre Morgon - bottle issue tracker” or something of that sort?

+1

I like the idea, although I think a bunch of us got our bottles from Craig.

good idea.

M09TR S 12/05/2010
Excellent Bottle
Purchased from Crush Wine & Spirits.


Have a case coming in from Grand Cru later today. Will report back after tasting.

edited FedEx update says delivery is now tomorrow. So c’mon all of you 09/09/10 owners pop bottles and report back.

That’s the batch code on the good bottle that I had, purchased in Maine.

I bought 6 bottles from Ian and wine library, had 2 and both were excellent. Clean and very pretty. Code on back MO9TR S 19/07/2010.

I’m 99% sure the lot number is MTR09 09/09/10 on all the bottles that were purchased from me. Importer is Michael Corso Selections out of Oak Park, IL. I have a case for myself but haven’t poopped a bottle although I had a couple customers that came in this past Saturday and bought more saying it was delishious

Looks like the lot number (M09TR S 09/09/10) reported above with a small change in the sequence of #'s and letters.

Sure hope this isn’t a real problem.

Interesting choice of words for this thread!

I have one on deck decanting right now and will post later.

The N means normal, or not sulfured, the S means (a small amount) of sulfuring. See

TN- 2009 M. Lapierre, Morgon - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So this letter could imply a big difference, even if the rest of the code is the same.

Yes, I’m aware of the difference between the N and the S bottlings. However, the variance in the code is not the N or S. It’s the sequence.

Craig indicated by phone that he believes his lot is MTR09S090910.
Doug indicated M09TRS090910.
Same date. Same S version.
Wonder if someone wrote the # down wrong or if the sequence has something to do with the importer - which is KL for Doug - and Michael Corso for Craig’s stuff.