Guy Breton 2023 Morgon Vieilles Vignes

Scents of raspberries and cherries mix with notes of violets and candied peel in an inviting bouquet introducing Breton's Morgon Vieilles Vignes, a medium to full-bodied, satiny wine with a touch more structure and more carnal nuances, too. It saw eight months in used barrels.

Guy "Petit Max" Breton took over his family domaine in the 1980s and was inspired by the late Marcel Lapierre to reject chemical farming, poorly selected yeasts and all the other unfortunate trends that beset the Beaujolais in that decade in the name of progress. While Breton himself is generously proportioned, his wines in 2018 are a model of delicacy and transparency, with melting tannins, succulent acids and beautifully perfumed bouquets. One might almost be tempted to serve them at cellar temperature to further amplify their refreshing qualities. And certainly, they're so delicious that there is little danger of the wines warming up once the cork has been pulled. Strict carbonic maceration followed by élevage in used Burgundy barrels are the order of the day at this address.