Domaine de Saint Odile Morgon 2011

The more I taste Beaujolais the more I think I need to buy more to drink at home. The tannin to flavour ratio is brilliant and I think that Morgon offers the ability to stash them away in the cellar for a few years.The 2011 vintage sits inbewteen the full on fruitiness of the 09s and the elegance of the 2010s.

Domaine de Saint Odile Morgon 2011

My god the dark cherries, wild herbs and layers of spice are mind blowing. The spice comes in the form of pepper, cumin, cinnamon and sumac whcih makes it savoury yet sweet at the same time. While the palate weight is on the lighter end of the spectrum the flavours pack a punch. Complexity? Hell yes and it is through the roof. Structure? Hell yes as well with prominant tannins and waves of acidity balancing everything out.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: ?
Rated: 90
Drink: Now - 2020

Jean-Marc Burgaud Cote du Py 2009

I will start this off by saying this has to be the bargain of the year! There is a huge amount of structure built into this wine and when compared to his other wines, the quality moves into a different arena. The Cote du Py sub region is the serious end of the spectrum for beaujolias.

Jean-Marc Burgaud Cote du Py 2009

Massive tannins burst out of the blocks like Carla Lewis on steroids. Whilst they are big the wine is silky smooth with flavours of crushed cranberries, dirty Dutch licorice, sour raspberries and white pepper.  The wine is more about texture as it grips your lips with love.  A brute force of love, if you could say such a thing. It definitely left a smile on my face after I finished the first glass.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $70 Magnum
Rated: 94
Drink: Drinks so well now but will keep for 20 years
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Les Charmes 2009

We had this next to a SA Shiraz that had received good reviews by the wine press. Think 94+ Winefront and Halliday so i thought it was going to be tough going.  It was like watching WWF smack down but it was the medium bodied Beaujolias that took out the fight. 


Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Les Charmes 2009

This was open for 8 hours before I even attempted to assess it, and it still needed another hour in the glass before it showed its stuff.  I guess its like an athlete doing a slow jog and some dynamic stretches before the main game starts.  Very smart of the Beaujolias!  You wouldn't want it to pull a calf muscle before it opens up. The pervasive tannins envelope my mouth and perfectly cut through the food.  There is a little earthy plum, violets and summer flowers all wrapped in rusty spice.  At the moment this wine is imminently drinkable yet tight like a tiger.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $30

Rated: 92
Drink: 2017 - 2025

Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon 2009

Morgon is the second largest viticulture area in the Beaujolias area.  The region produces robust and structured renditions from the gamay grape.

Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon 2009

We have a little baller here that shows itself as a restrained wine with style.  I need cash is all I'll say!  You get a whole load of complexity, in a french frame of mind with structure to die for.  You need to try these wines, from this vintage to feel the groove.


Alcohol: 13%
Price: $28
Rated: 91
Drink: 2015 - 2020
Importer: Eurocentric Wine

Roland Pignard Morgon 2009

The Morgon sub-district is in about the middle of the Beaujolias appellation just south of Burgundy.  The majority of the vineyards are planted on schist and granite which results in each vine working hard for every grape.
Beaujolias nouveau, an ultra light style built for immediate consumption, has a time and a place... just not at my place or on my time. Crus Beaujolias is a different story, especially if it comes from Morgon.  In general the 2009 wines offer balanced acidity and vibrant fruit density with structure.  I would say drink up but i think they will improve out of sight in the bottle.


Roland Pignard Morgon 2009

Here we have a wine nerds wine which satisfies my wife. She is by far a wine nerd but she knows what she likes and doesn't hold back if she doesn't like it.  There is density in the wine even though it is built on a medium bodied  frame, yet has flavour galore.  It's like watching leap frog with flavours of liquorice, earthy cranberry, crushed rock and cherry pip jumping over each other and all of this finishes with a chewy Rice Bubble like tannin.  Yummo.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $32
Rated: 91
Drink: 2013 - 2020
Importer: Eurocentric Wine