Benchmark Old-School Morgon from a Grower’s Grower
One of Beaujolais’ more reclusive growers, Daniel Bouland makes some of the most old-school and expressive wines in the whole of the region. Hand harvested from old Gamay vines in the Morgon lieux-dits of Corcelette, Bellevue and Pré Jourdan, Bouland’s wines are defiantly deep, dark, country-style reds with plenty of grip and overflowing with personality.
These are wines that are built for the long haul, unlike so many of the wines produced in this region. Daniel himself recommends five years in bottle for the terroir to show the wine’s true sense of clarity and mineral nuance. From the best vintages, 15 years will not weary the Morgon cuvées. This is not to say they are not approachable as youngsters.
Bouland’s wines are some of Beaujolais’ most authentic and deep offerings from a true vigneron; a vigneron whose wines have justifiably acquired a cult following over the past decade.
Bouland portrays the ‘artisanal Beaujolais vigneron’ in perhaps its purest form. He works alone in his vineyards where most of the material is gnarled, old goblet vines. His young parcels have been planted with selections massale from his older vineyards. Nothing is sweetened and nothing is taken away from the raw, visceral goodness of the juice. All of Bouland’s wines undergo natural, 100% whole-bunch fermentation, in the classic, Beaujolais, semi-carbonic style, before aging mostly in large, neutral oak. All the wines are bottled without fining and with only a light filtration. The result of this simplicity is country wines of great character, quality and deliciousness. They offer remarkable value in the context of great Burgundy.
AT-A-GLANCE • Daniel Bouland is a fourth-generation vigneron based in the heart of the Corcelette hamlet in Morgon, Beaujolais. • The estate spans approximately eight hectares of vines, mainly in Morgon, with small holdings in Brouilly and Chiroubles. • Bouland alone does most of the vineyard and cellar work, now assisted by his daughter Mélanie. • The bush vines across the plots have significant age, with 40 years considered young and the Vieilles Vignes material approaching 100 years old. • Vinification is semi-carbonic, and the wines mature in large, neutral barrels. • The range includes a collection of Cru wines from Morgon, several of which are bottled according to soil type—Sable (sand) and Cailloux (stone)—and many of which are Vieilles Vignes. • There are also Cru wines from Chiroubles and Brouilly, and most of the wines are available in large formats. IN THE PRESS “This estate is one of my personal reference points for the Beaujolais. Concentrated and succulent, Bouland's wines are beautifully differentiated by site and age gracefully…” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate “This tiny wine grower of the hamlet of Corcelette… has seduced us for a few years now with his concentrated and textured Morgons. The fruit weight in no way masks the almost wild minerality of the soil. These wines have an intensity that can only come from old vines that are impeccably cultivated… We do not hesitate to say that you will find here the best value for money in red wine [in this guide].” La Revue du Vins de France “The wines are made traditionally, with whole bunch-fermentations, native yeasts and aging in neutral oak casks before bottling without filtration. Bouland has a rabid following in France and overseas so his wines are never easy to track down.” Josh Reynolds, Vinous
Country
France
Primary Region
Beaujolais
People
Winemaker: Daniel Bouland
Availability
National
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