It’s hard to overstate how important Domaine Lapierre has been to the world of natural wine. Perhaps it’s too breezy to say, but from the relative obscure environs of Villié-Morgon, Marcel Lapierre (inspired by Jules Chauvet) helped to kickstart the anti-industrial wine revolution.

For me, a bottle of early 2000’s Morgon opened my eyes to the fact that wine could be an energizing, refreshing beverage and not necessarily a serious, heavy, brooding, ‘important’ side-dish. After that first sip, I was totally hooked and wanted to find out everything that led to such a delicious liquid to exist.  Almost 20 years later, the inspiration is as strong as ever and I am still searching, studying and sipping.

Every year, we await the arrival of the new vintage from Lapierre. The fresh drop is here and we are very thirsty!

In addition to the classic Morgon, in 2021 Camille and Mathieu have released a new bottling labeled as ‘Le Beaujolais’.  Sourced from 70+ year old vines in the village of  Lancié (just outside of Villié-Morgon), this receives the same semi-carbonic (vinification beaujolaise) but ages in cement cuve for 6 months instead of the 9 months in old barrels of the Morgon.  This is a juicy, crisp, slightly lighter expression perfect for drinking with a nice chill on a hot summer night.