RP 94+

A rich bouquet of raspberries, plums, spices, dried flowers, smoky notes and hints of rich soil introduces the 2016 Morgon, a medium to full-bodied, rich and powerful wine with striking concentration at the core, powdery structuring tannins and bright acids. This is a deep and serious Morgon built for the long haul, and while it may be approachable before, I suspect it won't truly hit its stride until its tenth birthday.

Longtime distributor of several of the Cote d'Or's most celebrated domaines, Fabien Duperray is today producing wines that are just as thrilling in the Beaujolais and the Maconnais, demonstrating what is possible when neglected and underappreciated appellations are lavished with the same care and attention in their viticulture, vinification and elevage as their more esteemed cousins in the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits. Always questioning, Duperray's Beaujolais cuvees are as prodigiously concentrated as ever but now see no oak during their long elevage. Their immense depth, structural seamlessness and effortless balance distinguish them as - at their best - the region's finest wines. Old vines, modest yields, organic farming and cultivation almost entirely by hand are the order of the day. In the cuverie and cellar, Duperray's amply trained palate and technical mastery of elevage, supplemented by now over ten years of experience, work to virtuosic effect. Any readers that have had the fortune to taste the memorable old Beaujolais of yesteryear from vintages such as 1929 and 1945 will find in these bottlings their best hope that the region may once again produce wines like those.