Sandrine Henriot Morgon, 'Les Charmes' 2020
Like all that Sandrine produces from her 3.3ha of holdings, one has the feeling of tasting a wine that is truly alive. The meticulously selected and hand harvested grapes for this cuvée come from a single vineyard holding in the prime lieu-dit of "les Charmes," just northwest of Saint-Joseph above Villié-Morgon. It sits up high, at about 400 meters, where cold nights lend the wine its fresh fruit acidity. The certified biodynamic vines are 60 years old, planted on steep south facing hillsides in sandy clay soil over granite.
The fermentation takes place with wild yeast in the typical Beaujolais, semi-carbonic fashion with whole bunches left in the vats to macerate for around 1 week. After pressing, part of the juice is aged in neutral oak barrels while the rest goes into stainless steel before being bottled after 11 months with only a minimal dose of SO2.
The 2020 shows a deep purple/red color and very perfumed nose of red fruits like cherries, raspberries, and strawberries with added notes of violet and just the slightest hint of earthiness for complexity. On the palate there’s a bright streak of acidity providing a lively counterbalance to the ripe cherry and red berry flavors. This is a fresh and fruity wine which can be drunk young, but also left to develop more complex flavors if aged for 5-10 years.
Like all that Sandrine produces from her 3.3ha of holdings, one has the feeling of tasting a wine that is truly alive. The meticulously selected and hand harvested grapes for this cuvée come from a single vineyard holding in the prime lieu-dit of "les Charmes," just northwest of Saint-Joseph above Villié-Morgon. It sits up high, at about 400 meters, where cold nights lend the wine its fresh fruit acidity. The certified biodynamic vines are 60 years old, planted on steep south facing hillsides in sandy clay soil over granite.
The fermentation takes place with wild yeast in the typical Beaujolais, semi-carbonic fashion with whole bunches left in the vats to macerate for around 1 week. After pressing, part of the juice is aged in neutral oak barrels while the rest goes into stainless steel before being bottled after 11 months with only a minimal dose of SO2.
The 2020 shows a deep purple/red color and very perfumed nose of red fruits like cherries, raspberries, and strawberries with added notes of violet and just the slightest hint of earthiness for complexity. On the palate there’s a bright streak of acidity providing a lively counterbalance to the ripe cherry and red berry flavors. This is a fresh and fruity wine which can be drunk young, but also left to develop more complex flavors if aged for 5-10 years.
Like all that Sandrine produces from her 3.3ha of holdings, one has the feeling of tasting a wine that is truly alive. The meticulously selected and hand harvested grapes for this cuvée come from a single vineyard holding in the prime lieu-dit of "les Charmes," just northwest of Saint-Joseph above Villié-Morgon. It sits up high, at about 400 meters, where cold nights lend the wine its fresh fruit acidity. The certified biodynamic vines are 60 years old, planted on steep south facing hillsides in sandy clay soil over granite.
The fermentation takes place with wild yeast in the typical Beaujolais, semi-carbonic fashion with whole bunches left in the vats to macerate for around 1 week. After pressing, part of the juice is aged in neutral oak barrels while the rest goes into stainless steel before being bottled after 11 months with only a minimal dose of SO2.
The 2020 shows a deep purple/red color and very perfumed nose of red fruits like cherries, raspberries, and strawberries with added notes of violet and just the slightest hint of earthiness for complexity. On the palate there’s a bright streak of acidity providing a lively counterbalance to the ripe cherry and red berry flavors. This is a fresh and fruity wine which can be drunk young, but also left to develop more complex flavors if aged for 5-10 years.
