2020 Marcel Lapierre Morgon- France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4/8/2022)
Not sure what kind of palates these other reviewers have, but obviously not very aligned with mine. This is exceptional stuff. Gunsmoke and white pepper, just as elegant as they come. Darker than most Gamay’s I’ve had from the new world and a nice re-aquiantence with Beaujoalis, which I used to drink a lot of about 10 years ago. Served slightly chilled for a wonderful French lunch at Bell’s in Los Alamos (highly recommended) and it had both of us just reveling in its nuance and fruit. Served slightly chilled. Amazing stuff and at that moment, I didn’t want to drink anything else for the rest of my life:) (95 pts.)
The problem with most wine reviews and reviewers is that bigness always gets conflated with complexity. It’s always really obvious from all the entries. Look at every CT score of this and they all read, “loved the wine, but…great, but light colored…”. 88pts, 90 pts. This is not an 88pts wine, I’m sorry. It’s like people won’t allow themselves to admit to liking a wine if it’s not a bruiser. As if their winehood or self-respect would be removed if they did. It’s really getting under my skin, because it’s just so daft. We talk at no end about the complexities and nuances of Champagne, picked at 16-18 Brix, but somehow, can not accept there is complexity in the middle region of 20-23brix and always default to comparing it to 16% wines? Why? Score them compared to themselves.
I haven’t had the '20, but have consumed a number of Lapierres over the years and I think they are some of the best Bojos out there. I don’t care about deep, dark color and generally prefer wines that I can see through. They are usually more balanced and less messed with than the big, dark bruisers.
Preaching to the choir, baby! [Ed. Haha, just saw Marshall said the same thing ]
I say this every single time that I drink the Sans Soufre bottle. I’ve posted a few notes recently. It’s just flat out ethereal stuff. Probably the finest QPR in the world of wine. And I almost hate using the QPR moniker as it suggests it might be great only because of price. This wine is great irrespective of price.
I’m still drinking the '09s, '10s and '12, and all are doing great. I don’t have anything older than that now, but have had bottles 15 years old (or a little more) that are still delicious. That said, I don’t think they are meant to be 30 year wines…although some may have tried them at that age that were delicious?
I think the original idea was the S was not for export. He’s one of the poster children for the idea that “natural” wine means “minimal” sulfur while unnatural wine I guess would be excessive sulfur, like a mountain of sulfur that’s slightly dampened with some wine I guess. But in spite of that, it can be really good wine. I’ve had some I liked a lot more than others over the years. But then again, a lot of cru Beaujolais can be brilliant wine and even better with some age on it. Lapierre usually gets high marks from critics, partly because it has a lot of fanboys and girls but I forgive him for that.
The Sans Soufre is labeled very inconspicuously with an “N” for non-sulfur. The two versions otherwise look identical. I assume most of what you find in the marketplace in America is the sulfur version. The Sans Soufre tends to be brighter, more fragrant. Worth the few bucks extra.
+1 on all of that, except I don’t really have a feel for what happens at 30+ type years.
I don’t think my 09 and 10s seem near any sort of decline. If anything, I don’t think they’re much different than they were young. Ditto for other good producers from those vintages.
Had an 05 last fall that drank very well, don’t imagine it will improve any further. IME Lapierre drinks well young and middle-aged, and the few older bottles I’ve had seemed like they’re on the downslope, while still showing well. So I try to drink mine up by the time they are hitting middle age, 12 years or so for most good vintages (05 being a vintage that took a long time to come around).
Really? I just skimmed through all of the notes, and that really doesn’t sound like most (or actually any). There were a few 88s, but they were actually pretty positive (people who use the scale as described by Parker in old days, not the new “under 90 means undrinkable”). One review said it didn’t have the complexity of other estates in Morgon. Hardly a call out for not being big enough. If you are going to have a rant, base it on fact (others., please read CT scores, see how many say “light colored” for instance)
I haven’t had the 2020, but have probably bought almost every vintage 2005-2019. Over last few years I’ve decided Foillard is more my thing, but still enjoyed my Lapierres (and a '14 N was stunning last week). I’ll probably buy 2020 as well. After I buy Foillard
There’s a small S or N on the back label to indicate which cuvee it is. Not always easy to spot, but worth inspecting whenever you have a bottle on hand
Agree. They don’t age as well as say Foillard or Metras. But you have to love the N in the classic vintages…Went through cases of the 09s and 10s (some mag/3L), not too many left…almost ready for the 14s.
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