Marcel Lapierre, Morgon Cuvée N
Thinking back on all the wines we've come across over the years, it's no exaggeration to say that Lapierre's Morgon is the most perfect. No, it's not Musigny or Petrus, it's not the fanciest, the longest-lived or most expensive.
And yet, it is perfect.
It is perfect because it is a wine that you will always want to drink. There is no moment in your wine life when a bottle of Lapierre won't do the trick. In the afternoon with friends. Before dinner, with dinner, after dinner: it's perfect.
It is perfect because it is the most effortlessly drinkable wine you can imagine. Every sip is so satisfying that you are compelled to take one more. Before you know it the bottle is gone.
It is perfect because it can please any and all sorts of wine lovers. The college student who has drunk nothing but beer takes one sip and is instantly seduced by the wine's pleasure. The lucky few who have tasted the heights of Petrus and Musigny still take great satisfaction from Lapierre. In fact, when you've finished such a "grand" bottle and want another glass of something to decompress with, it's perfect.
Even more remarkable, it's true every vintage (and a few of us at Flatiron are approaching 20 vintages of Lapierre now, sheesh). That said, the 2019 is one of the most exciting and anticipated vintages yet. It has the ripeness of 2018 and 2015, but with more finesse and structure. Some are comparing it to 2010, but what is certain is that it is a special year.
To be clear what we have today is the cuvée “N” -- the Lapierre bottling with no sulfur added (we offered the “S” last summer). This is the wine that kicked off the whole sulfur free movement. The original 'natural wine.' Marcel Lapierre figured out how to do it first and, for our money, his kids still do it best.
Matthieu and Camille, who have run the domaine since their father's passing, continue to make pitch-perfect Lapierre wine. And if you saw JR's great IG live with them, you heard that for all the incredible things their father taught them to do in the vineyard and in the cellar, the thing that really sets them apart is what they know not to do: they never release an unsulfured wine when they have any doubts. The family that invented it doesn't feel the need to do it unless everything's just right.
In past years we have been lucky enough to get a couple drops of the Morgon “N” here in SF, but this year we are getting just one shipment. So when it's gone, it's gone. The good news is that we have secured a nice quantity; the bad news is that no matter what, we never have enough.