Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2025

Domaine Marcel Lapierre is one of the foundational names of the natural wine movement in Beaujolais. The estate dates to 1909, but its modern identity was established by Marcel Lapierre, who took over the family domaine in 1973. In 1981, working closely with the influential Beaujolais chemist and winemaker Jules Chauvet, Marcel began farming organically and experimenting with fermentations without added sulfur or commercial yeast. Alongside contemporaries Guy Breton, Jean Foillard and Jean Paul Thévenet, he helped redefine what Beaujolais could be, emphasizing healthy vineyards, indigenous fermentation and an unadulterated expression of Gamay. Marcel died in 2010, and today his children Mathieu and Camille continue the domaine.

The estate now encompasses about 18 hectares, predominantly within Morgon, all planted to gamay noir à jus blanc. The vineyards have been farmed organically since the 1980s and have been Ecocert certified since 2004. Chemical fertilizers, herbicides and synthetic treatments are avoided; instead, the Lapierres work the soil, use compost and favor gentle vineyard treatments that preserve soil life and native yeasts. The vines are trained in the traditional goblet style at high density, helping naturally limit Gamay's vigor and yields. Much of the Morgon comes from the characteristic decomposed granite soils known locally as roches pourries, or "rotten rocks," which contribute both freshness and structure to the wines.

The Morgon 2025 is 100% gamay, harvested by hand and carefully sorted before being brought to the cellar. Whole clusters are fermented using indigenous yeasts in the traditional Beaujolais semi carbonic method, with a relatively long maceration that varies according to the vintage and parcel. The winery avoids additives, acidification, chaptalization and commercial yeast, and the wine is generally made without added sulfur, although small amounts may be used for certain export bottlings. After fermentation, the wine is aged in older barrels rather than new oak and bottled without filtration, preserving the texture, aromatics and character of the fruit.

The 2025 vintage comes from the domaine's granite Morgon vineyards and is described as a ripe, generous year while retaining the freshness that is central to Lapierre's style. Expect the classic Morgon combination of vibrant cherry, raspberry and violet with a subtle savory or licorice note, supported by silky tannins and the mineral character of decomposed granite. It is a particularly good example of why Lapierre is so important: the wine has the juicy, immediate pleasure associated with Beaujolais, but enough structure and depth to develop beautifully with age.