Morgon Château Gaillard

Desvignes
France
Beaujolais
2022

100% Gamay. Château Gaillard is a lieu-dit in the NE corner of Morgon in the climat of Douby, along the Fleurie border. Desvignes used to include this 1.03-hectare plot of 80-year-old, south-facing vines in their entry-level "La Voûte Saint-Vincent", but its strong old-vine character warranted its separation starting in 2020. The vines are planted on sandy granite soils, are certified-organic and harvested by hand. The bunches are mainly left whole, with about 10% destemming, and placed into closed concrete vats for a partly carbonic fermentation; maceration is about 10 days with a submerged cap and no punchdowns. A very small amount of sulfur is added after malo (and sometimes at bottling). The wine is aged in cement tank for 7 months in 30-hectoliter concrete eggs and bottled with a light, non-sterile filtration.

 

92 points
"The 2022 Morgon Château Gaillard is named after the lieu-dit (there is no château there), a single hectare on sandy soils, aged in 30-hectolitre concrete eggs. Redcurrant, raspberry coulis and blueberry scents blossom on the nose - very pure and well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and touches of graphite. There's firm grip with a lot of substance on the finish. This should age supremely well."
Neal Martin,
Vinous Media
March 2023
93+ points
"Desvignes The very old vine bottling of Morgon “Château Gaillard” from Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes is simply outstanding in 2022. The wine comes in at a very typical 13.5 percent alcohol in this vintage and delivers a deep and youthfully complex aromatic constellation of black cherries, 63 dark berries, a touch of sweet cranberry, vinesmoke, pigeon, a gentle array of sweet herb tones, woodsmoke and granitic minerality. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a beautiful core of fruit, superb mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and very, very promising finish. This is a classic young Morgon from a great vintage, which means it starts out life plenty structured and will require some patience to let it lie fallow in the cellar for a handful of years and allow its tannins to soften up. In due course, it will be superb juice. 2032-2075+. "
John Gilman,
View From The Cellar
January 2024
92 points
"Planted in 1920 and 1953, the 2022 Morgon Château Gaillard unveils aromas of blueberry compote, currants and lilac. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it bursts with a subtle intensity in both depth and length. Initially marked by ripe acids and juicy berry fruit, the wine evolves and shifts to focus on the burgeoning structure. Fine-grained tannins carve definition into the body, bestowing length and finesse, with hints of white pepper that tie the elements together. It retains just enough flesh to soften the impact, a crucial element for working with a terroir renowned for its tightly woven character. This is a wine to age, no doubt."
Kenna Wells,
Wine Advocate
May 2024

SKU/Code: 
DB3304-22
Product Line: 
Wine
Red
Varietal: 
Gamay
Farming Type: 
Organic