Louis-Claude Desvignes - Morgon Javernières Les Impénitents 2024

This iconic Beaujolais estate, renowned for both its history and its reputation, is a shining star in Morgon and throughout the Beaujolais region. The vineyard spans 13 hectares, five of which are located on the Côte de Py. At the helm of the estate, Claude-Emmanuelle and her brother Louis-Benoît—renowned for their rigor and attention to detail—are worthy successors to a tradition of excellence. The most recent vintages, blending finesse with richness, are consistently elegant.

Anyone who has tasted a wine from the Desvignes siblings—Claude-Emmanuelle and Louis-Benoît—has experienced a special emotion. Here, the pursuit of aesthetic excellence focuses on the subtle expression of specific vineyard sites (primarily in Morgon), the right balance of texture tailored to each vintage, and the wine’s aging potential—all stemming from meticulous viticulture, sensitive winemaking free from dogma, and refined, wood-free aging. The estate has been adorned with its third star for several years now, and given the consistency and coherence of its lineup, we suspect it will remain there for many years to come.

The 2024 Morgon Les Impénitents comes from the very old vines in Javernières, planted in 1912 and 1914—the first to be planted after the phylloxera epidemic. The nose shows a slight hint of reduction, but it seems beautifully defined and balanced, with aromas of a sea cave mingling with red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, very elegant, and quite mineral, with fine tannins. Like some of Desvignes’ other cuvées, the hint of graphite gives it a Médoc-like character. Very refined.