Jean-Paul Thevenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2024

This is an outstanding bottle of wine! What is most remarkable is the creaminess that these old vines deliver. It has a drop dead gorgeous feel to it. Ripe berries and cream come to mind, but of course there is the pungent minerality, the impeccably balanced tannins that provide support but easily melt into the sumptuous, well rounded, voluminous fruit, a final flurry of something umami, a freshly washed up pile of seaweed, just seals the deal, so much here to unfurl over time. Overall, even with the noteworthy concentration (in the context of things) its strikingly fresh, almost sorbet like in the clarity and purity of things. Florals and perfume soar from the glass with each swirl and you could be forgiven for smelling this and nearly forgetting to taste it, such is the allure of its aromatics. All class. Confident, superbly balanced and beautifully composed. I absolutely loved it. ROSCOE

2022 - Jean-Paul Thévenet (one of Beaujolais' so-called Gang of Four) took over his father's Morgon estate in 1976. He was heavily influenced by the iconic Marcel Lapierre (another 'gang' member), who championed the elimination of synthetic treatments in the vineyard and promoted a more natural approach to winemaking. The Thévenets' Vieilles Vignes comes from vines averaging 70 years old and is vinified with 100% whole cluster and minimal (often zero) sulphur dioxide, before ageing 8-10 months in used Burgundy barriques. Andy Howard MW: A Morgon with some wilder characters on show. Duskier fruit, leafy sous-bois notes. Good weight, plenty of concentration and interest. Will age. Melania Battiston: A pure fruit spectrum evokes red fruits like wild strawberries and fresh raspberries. Silky, sleek, with a vertical spin. Proper and skilful use of oak. Unfolds layer by layer. Victoria Daskal: Haunting perfume of lilac and lavender, crushed berries and dried thyme. Quite savoury, almost meaty. Marvellous palate, smooth and long. DECANTER