2023 Domaine de Colonat Morgon Les Charmes

Trophy!
97 points and Decanter Best in Show: Colonat's flagship Morgon from 50-year-old vines on granite.

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Sale price$49.00
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Description

97 points & Best in Show Trophy - Decanter Wine Awards

Morgon is home for the Collogne family, and has been for 200 years. This is where Thomas' oldest and most celebrated vineyards reside, and as you'd expect with quality old-vine Morgon, where his most intensely structured Gamays are produced.

Coming from a composite blend of blocks within the excellent 'Les Charmes' climat, this is everything we love about Morgon and more. It's grown on shallow, sandy granite soils with naturally low nutrients. The vines average 50 years old, their deep roots drawing concentrated, richly flavoured fruit with real structure behind it.

The approach in the winery is consistent with Thomas' other wines, save for a small amount of older oak to handle the more powerful fruit.  It's 90% destemmed, with 12 days of gentle maceration, then eight months in a combination of oak barrels (20%) and concrete tanks (80%). Precise, restrained winemaking again that lets the site do the talking.

It's a riot of red and purple fruits, with big florals, palate-coating texture and a rocky tannic structure that pulses through the wine. It's at once thought-provoking and totally smashable, and just a terrific example of this magnificent Cru.

This is the one to tuck a few bottles into the cellar, but gee it goes good right out of the gate too.  World-class Beaujolais, as it's Best in Show Trophy at the Decanter Wine Awards suggests.

"There are always consumers with preconceived notions about Beaujolais wines, but today I take it as a game to convince them. I know our wines are appreciated, and I have confidence in their quality"
- Thomas Collogne (Domaine de Colonat owner/winemaker)

97 points & Best in Show Trophy - Decanter Wine Awards

Grape variety: 100% Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc (a dark-skinned grape with clear juice).

Origin: This cuvée is a blend of several vineyard plots, all within the named vineyard area of “Les Charmes”. The vines average 50 years old. The shallow, sandy granite soils are low in nutrients, naturally limiting the vigour of Gamay and giving this Morgon cuvée a lovely richness.

Planting density: 10,000 vines per hectare.

Yield: 56 hectolitres per hectare.

Winemaking: The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand, with 90% destemmed. Maceration lasts 12 days at temperatures between 25°C and 30°C, with gentle pump-overs to extract only the finest tannins.

Ageing: Eight months, with 20% in oak barrels and 80% in concrete tanks.

Cellaring potential: Six to eight years.

Food pairings: A charcuterie platter, poultry, grilled meats, steak or creamy cheeses such as Saint-Marcellin.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Gamay
Country France
Region Beaujolais
Reviewed By Decanter
Critic Score 97
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Cork

Domaine de Colonat

Old vines, granite hillsides and seven generations of family history sit at the heart of Domaine de Colonat in Beaujolais. Based in Villié-Morgon, the Collonge family has tended this corner of Beaujolais since 1828. Today, Julie and Thomas bring fresh energy to that inheritance, making wines with depth, finesse and a strong sense of place.

Thomas honed his craft in Burgundy, the Rhône and Australia before returning home in 2008. Together with Julie, he brings that wider perspective to an intimate knowledge of the family’s vineyards, letting the character of each site guide the wines.

The estate’s great treasure is its old vines, averaging around 65 years for the reds. Their deep roots draw on the soils beneath them, while small, concentrated grapes bring richness to the wines. From Morgon to Moulin-à-Vent to Fleurie to Chiroubles to Brouilly and more, each cuvée offers a different expression of Gamay.

Behind that richness lies a meticulous approach. Harvest dates are carefully chosen to capture ripeness and freshness together, and every bunch is picked by hand before passing through three rounds of selection. Gentle extraction and concrete-ageing brings out fine, silky tannins, giving the fruit room to shine.

Thomas and Julie have picked up some huge accolades in recent years, including Best In Show Trophies at the Decanter Wine Awards, and the remarkable achievement of World's Best Gamay at the International Gamay Competition!

The Gamays are immediately charming, but with the depth and structure to reward a little patience in the cellar. These are gorgeous, modern Beaujolais wines that we cannot recommend highly enough.

Winemaker Thomas Collogne Domaine de Colonat

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