Morgon La Roche-Briday

Morgon is one of the 10 Beaujolais Crus all made from the Gamay grape, which has a sublime affinity with the region's schist and granite soils. The real secret however behind the fresh grape fruitiness of Beaujolais lies in the way the grapes are fermented - a technique called maceration carbonique - or more correctly, as here at Domaine de Colonat, maceration semi-carbonique.

The vat is filled with whole, uncrushed grapes on their stalks and the weight of the upper grapes crushes the lower ones, which start a normal fermentation with their natural yeasts. The carbon dioxide given off by this process excludes the air from the uncrushed upper layers where the grapes quietly feed on themselves. Fermentation takes 10-12 days, and at some point after it has started Bernard re-circulates the juice twice a day by pumping it back into the top of the vat. When he starts this remontage, and for how many days he does it varies each year depending on the grapes. After a week or so the vat will be about one third full of liquid, which is then run off, the solid pressed gently and the two mixed together. At this stage the liquid still contains unfermented sugar and the fermentation will continue.

Our Morgon is bottled in the spring following the harvest and will age for a further year in bottle before being released to Partners. The first vintage of our exclusive wine was awarded a Silver Medal at the International Wine Challenge in London in 2002. It is a wonderfully plummy wine with deep black-fruit aromas and a plump fleshiness on the palate. It is full of red and black fruit flavours - notably cherry - and although by no means tannic, it has a firm structure with fine, mouthwatering acidity.

As a Partner at Domaine de Colonat your allocation of wine is:

• Morgon La Roche-Briday 2007 (red)
  5,60€ per bottle (2008 price *exc. VAT)
  4 cases (48 bottles) maximum

Next option available: May 2009. Partners joining after April 1st in any year will receive their Option the following year.

*Guide price: 2009 prices to be confirmed summer 2008

View our pricing policy