The Beaujolais New Wave: Roland Pignard
Roland and Joëlle Pignard run the newly certified organic Domaine Roland Pignard at Saint Joseph, above Villié Morgon.
The domaine was officially certified organic by Ecocert in 2007, having started the process of certification in 2004. The Pignards are friendly, softly spoken, relaxed and proud of their organic conversion. The domaine is only four hectares, small for Beaujolais. This yields 18,000 bottles, that is 45 hl/ha, also low for Beaujolais. The domaine produces Beaujolais-Villages, Régnié and Morgon. The Morgon is the most impressive wine of the domaine. Only one wine sees barrel maturation — the barrels are at least a few years old.
Morgon 2005 Pure red fruit nose with blueberry, cherry and lots of white pepper. A hint of cassis-like reduction which blows off. The palate is long and elegant with sinuous seductive grape tannins. The acid is refreshing and lip smacking. A really superb Morgon which could age an extremely long time, even though it is delicious and ready now. The yield for this wine was a mere 35hl/ha.
Morgon 2006 Opens with a hint of mustiness. I opened another bottle and found it there too. I wonder if this is a slight fault. Of course, its possible that this could be botrytis, which was prevalent in Beaujolais in 2006. At times, it looks like a touch of brett. Likely, for most drinkers this gives some interest but it worries me. Other than this, the wine is very beautifully structured, it has a thirst quenching quality to it. After an hour, the wine seems a lot cleaner with pure cherry aromas and, once again, white pepper.
Morgon 2007 This wine shows the vintage difference (in a good way), giving a less weighty wine with more acidity. The nose is even more spicy than the previous wines, with a crisp cranberry like acidity on the palate. Soft tannins which flutter across the palate. Well adapted to food. Excellent quality, once again. Won the gold medal at the Concours National des Vin Bio – amphore class.
Morgon 2008 In bottle two weeks. It is always hard to taste such wines because they show a lot of volatility. The density of the wine seems like 2006, well structured and should be good. Needs another month or two in bottle to settle. Will open up, Roland thinks, over the next 6 to 12 months.
Morgon “Cuvée Tradition” 2006 Spends 12 months in barrels of two or three years of age. The wine is made from the same juice that went into the standard 2006. The barrel maturation has softened the wine considerably, it seems lower in acid with richer, sweeter fruit. The nose is all cherry, raspberry and strawberry jam, the palate is luscious and long. Will be released for 2007 and 2008 as well.
Régnié 2008 Also just bottled. Shows 2008 well, fruity, forward, balancing acidity. A pleasing wine but not in the same class as the Morgon.
The wines are bottled with very low free sulfur levels, all under 10 mgs. They should be aged in a cool cellar.
I’ve since tasted several bottles of each with consistent results.
