Ludovic Montginot Morgon Cote du Py 2020

This is a new find from a tiny producer who farms three hectares of arguably the most hallowed ground in all of Beaujolais (and certainly, Morgon) – the heralded Côte du Py! Under $20 for a wine like this? Oh, happy day!

Morgon is one of the ten crus of Beaujolais in the winemaking region of south of Burgundy in eastern France. Within Morgon’s southern reaches, lies the lieu dit of Côte du Py – a great hill known for its "rouches pourries" – the volcanic, jagged, pyritic schist rich in iron oxide and manganese. This appellation is widely noted for producing the best, longest-lived Morgon wines – capable of aging for decades.

Ludovic Montginot is the one-man band behind this powerful, high-toned beauty. He farms the vines alone, by hand, following biodynamic practices whenever possible. He tends the wines carefully in old barrels stored in a tiny stone cellar, intervening in the wine's development only as necessary to produce a terroir-driven, unique expression that reveals his own personality – as shaped by the land he tirelessly works in solitude almost daily. His production is incredibly small, sold mostly direct via his visits to local markets throughout France in the off-season. We discovered this a few months back, and were just gobsmacked! Most of the Côte du Py wines we see these days start at $35+ (and go up considerably from there), so we were thrilled to grab as much of this as we could at this price.

The flavors are classic Morgon, definitively Côte du Py, with bright, tart black and red berry notes, pronounced minerality, and accents of florals and spice. The body of the wine is rich and weighty for Beaujolais, with a chocolatey note that softens the intense structure and acidity of the wine’s powerful core. Like the best of Côte du Py, this is a wine that can be drunk and enjoyed young, but the real mettle and the true quality of this wine are to be revealed over time. Most wine drinkers are understandably reluctant to age wines beyond their comfort zone, but if ever there was an ideal wine with which the magical alchemy of aging could be perceived – this is such a wine. A mere $18.95 for a wine that drinks like this? With the potential to grow, develop, and continue to impress over the next decade-plus? Get a case, and you’ll be glad you did!