Morgon

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical zone is established on the eastern flanks of the Monts du Beaujolais, on the first slopes of the Fût d'Avenas, the highest peak at 842 metres above sea level.
• The hillsides, cut through by streams such as the Morcille, a tributary of the Ardières, and the Douby, a tributary of the Saône, rise in tiers between 220 and 480 metres above sea level and face south-east.
• The bedrock consists of manganese-rich schists dating from the Upper Devonian, which break down into clay soils locally known as 'morgon', occupying the centre and east of the zone, including the Py hill.
• To the north and north-west, porphyritic granites weather into sandy gruss, giving rise to poor, free-draining soils.
• The oceanic climate, subject to continental and southern influences, has a mean annual temperature of around 11°C; the Monts du Beaujolais shelter the vineyards from westerly winds, and the resulting foehn effect dries the air, increases luminosity, and reduces rainfall.

• The presence of the vine in Villié-Morgon is documented as early as 956 AD, through a deed recording the sale of a parcel by the lord of Beaujeu to a vassal.
• From the late fifteenth century onward, the Lyonnais bourgeoisie, enriched by the silk and banking trades, developed the vineyard before the wines of Morgon were granted AOC status by the decree of 11 September 1936.
• Producers manage the vigour of Gamay notably through high planting density and short pruning, with fixed trellising possible to ensure adequate exposed leaf area.
• The winemaking approach adopted by producers combines traditional fermentation with semi-carbonic maceration.

• The wines combine the fruitiness characteristic of the Beaujolais region with body and considerable minerality, with aromas often evoking raspberry and kirsch.
• Enthusiasts frequently distinguish wines from parcels on granitic gruss — fruity and approachable from an early age — from those grown on schist-derived soils, which tend to be more austere and benefit from several years of cellaring.

• The positioning of the vineyards on hillsides overlooking the Saône plain allows them to benefit from favourable climatic conditions, with optimal sunlight exposure thanks to the microrelief, which encourages all aspects.
• Located some ten kilometres from the Saône, the vineyard benefits from the thermal moderating role played by the valley while being sufficiently distant to avoid freezing fogs and late spring frosts.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Inter Beaujolais