Les Charmes comes from granitic soils to the west of Morgon which produce wines that tend to be more approachable than Côte du Py. The 60-year-old vines are gobelet trained and planted at a high density to reduce Gamay's vigour. Frost-shrunk vintage. Maceration lasted only nine days in 2019, with daily pumping over, to achieve the desired level of extraction. All the grapes were fermented as whole bunches which Jean-Marc refers to as 'sémi macération carbonique'.
Mid crimson. Really zesty, transparent nose – quite different from the more concentrated Côte du Py. This has the flirtatious – even slightly peppery – side that so many wine lovers seek in a cru beaujolais. Lovely racy fruit and a juicy, drink-me quality.
17/20 Points
Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com
The 2019 Morgon Grand Cras offers up a rich bouquet of licorice, blackberries and cherries, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping palate built around ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids. Derived from 55-year-old vines planted in clay-rich alluvial soils, it saw 12 days of maceration followed by 10 months of élevage in cement tank.
92 Points - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate