Dominique Morel, Beaujolais-Villages
Vintage: 2024
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | MO401B24 | 6 x 75 | Agglomerated Cork | Available |
Producer
Dominique Morel is a family-run winery based just north of Fleurie, with a history dating back to the early 1900s. Since 1967, the domaine has been run by Dominique Morel, whose winemaking philosophy is to make wines he likes to drink with plenty of fruit, good colour and a rounded mouthfeel. The domaine comprises 18 hectares (three of which are in Fleurie) planted with vines aged up to 70 years old on relatively low vigour granite soils. These poor soils put vines under just the right amount of stress, resulting in beautifully concentrated fruit.
Dominique’s Beaujolais Blanc is made from Chardonnay planted on granitic-clay soil, producing a wine with distinct freshness and excellent fruit concentration. The grapes are gently pressed and fermented in stainless-steel tanks to preserve delicate fruit aromas before lees-ageing for four to five months. This creates texture and roundness that balances its vibrant acidity. Dominique’s red wines are treated minimally in the cellar, undergoing a semi-carbonic maceration to extract colour, aroma and tannin before fermentation takes place over five to eight days. The wines remain in stainless steel and are naturally stabilised by the low temperatures, meaning they don’t require aggressive fining and filtration.
Dominique’s Beaujolais-Villages is defined by delicate perfumes of fresh red cherries and violets. The Fleurie, which is sourced from 45-year-old vines, is elegant and well-balanced with bright and lifted acidity. The Chiroubles, the highest elevation Cru in Beaujolais, is fragrant, defined by notes of abundant red cherry fruit, alongside an expressive, poised palate with a lifted finish.
Vineyards
Dominique has 18 hectares of vineyards across Beaujolais, which are planted on relatively low vigour granite soils. As a result, the vines have to struggle to survive, but stressed vines produce superior and beautifully concentrated fruit. The densely planted bush vines are south-west facing and 46 years old on average, producing 50 - 55 hectolitres per hectare and resulting in beautifully concentrated wines. All work in the vineyard, including harvesting, is done by hand.
Vintage
The 2024 vintage was a difficult one for producers in Beaujolais. Winter was mild which led to early budburst. Spring was wet and cool leading to disease pressure. A warm, dry July and early August helped ripen grapes, but intense hailstorms and drought impacted some areas, resulting in varied quality and significantly lower yields in certain areas.
Vinification
The hand-picked grapes underwent traditional Beaujolais vinification using 70% whole bunches, the maceration lasts 7 to 8 days. Temperature regulation of the stainless steel vats meant that the must was vinified without the use of sulfite. The wine was matured on fine lees for five to six months in stainless steel vats. After natural cold stabilisation, bottling was carried out on the estate.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This Gamay is bright ruby in colour, with pronounced cherry perfumes. The rounded palate is full of fresh, ripe red berry fruit. Elegant, well balanced with good acidity, this is a great example of Beaujolais-Villages.
Alcohol (ABV)
12.5%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominique Morel | Fleurie | MO402 | R | ||
| Chiroubles | MO405 | R | Factsheet |