2009 Dominique Piron Morgon Côte du Py

Seductively ripe nose. Almost painful now in terms of the intensity of tannin and acidity. Notably ambitious. (JR)

Piron’s 2009 Morgon Charmes is named for the elongated sector that runs more than half the way along the appellation’s western edge, bordering Regnie. From tank (in which it was exclusively raised) this smells scintillatingly of lilac along with blueberry and cassis, and empty glass alone is apt to justify the wine’s inevitably too-modest price! If anything even more silken and polished than the corresponding Douby cuvee, though less vividly mineral or palpably extract- and tannin-rich, this certainly lives up to its name, finishing with wafting floral as well as pure berry-fruited intensity, along with subtle, ingratiating salinity. It should remain lovely for at least 3-4 years – not that one should waste time in opening the first bottles. Dominique Piron – for more about whom consult my report in issue 184 – did not begin harvesting his 2009s until September 7 and then worked at it for two weeks (even though his crop was radically reduced by the hail that afflicted nearly every commune in which he grows grapes). Despite the warm weather and reduced crop, only a few of Piron’s individual lots – and none of his finished blends – exceeded 14% alcohol. He segregated an unprecedented number of different Morgons from 2009, but this isn’t merely a case of his next-door neighbor Jean-Marc Burgaud’s practices rubbing off: the distinctive quality of Piron’s five cuvees justifies their number – indeed, this represents far and away the finest Piron collection I have tasted (granting that the assembled wines were still all in tank when I visited in April) and a confirmation that this is among the region’s outstanding, top value-delivering addresses. Importers include Beaune Imports, Berkeley, CA, tel. (510) 559 1040 and Williams Corner Wine, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 566 7079