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George Descombes

Beaujolais Morgon 2019

Price: $32.95
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Tasting notes

Descombes ages this wine longer than most Morgon producers — around a year in foudre and vat — which builds integration without sacrificing the cru's characteristic juiciness. The 2019 shows black cherry, violet, and wet stone on a round, silky frame that is simultaneously easy to drink and genuinely structured.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Black CherryVioletEarthRed Currant
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; translucent ruby-garnet; black cherry, violet, earthy kirsch; 13% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Gamay; organic farming (Ecocert-certified history); decomposed granite and schist soils, Villié-Morgon, Morgon AOC
  • Winemaking: Whole-cluster semi-carbonic maceration; native yeast fermentation; ~12-month aging in large foudres and tank; minimal sulfur at bottling; light non-sterile filtration
  • Serving: Serve at 57-61°F (14-16°C); 20-30 min decant recommended; can cellar 5-8 years
  • Pairing: Roast pork, duck confit, beef braise, charcuterie board, mushroom pasta, aged hard cheese
  • Similar To: For fans of earthy, structured Pinot Noir who want Beaujolais cru depth at a lower price point

Georges Descombes' Morgon is 100% Gamay sourced from roughly 7.5 hectares of hilly parcels in the Morgon cru, centered on Villié-Morgon. The soils are predominantly decomposed granite and schist — the weathered, iron-rich geology locals call "rotten rock" — which gives Morgon its signature earthy depth and structure compared to lighter Beaujolais crus. Grapes are hand-harvested in whole clusters and fermented with native yeasts via semi-carbonic maceration in large cement, fiberglass, and stainless steel vats.

The wine is aged in a mix of vat and large wood foudres for approximately one year before bottling with a minimal addition of sulfur and a light, non-sterile filtration. Descombes holds the wine longer in élevage than most of his peers, a deliberate choice when working without heavy sulfur intervention. The 2019 vintage delivered lush, ripe fruit across Beaujolais, and in this wine that translates to a full, fruit-forward palate with silky tannins and sustained acidity.

Expect aromas of black cherry, violet, and red currant with hints of earth and kirsch. The palate is round and juicy with a savory undercurrent and a clean, mineral finish characteristic of Morgon's decomposed-schist terroir.

Serve alongside roast pork, duck confit, or a beef-based braise where the wine's fruit and acidity cut through richness. A charcuterie board with cornichons and aged hard cheese is a natural match. The wine's earthy Morgon character also works well with mushroom-heavy dishes such as a porcini pasta or chicken with chanterelles.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Gamay
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2019
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, France
Region:, Beaujolais
Appellation:, Morgon AOC
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

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Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

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Producer profile

George Descombes

Georges Descombes is based in Vermont, a small hamlet in Villié-Morgon, in the heart of the Morgon cru. He took over the family domaine in 1988 from his father, starting with little more than half a hectare. He is frequently referred to as the unofficial fifth member of the 'Gang of Four' — Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton — the group of Morgon producers who defined the modern natural wine movement in Beaujolais. Descombes' connection to that circle came from tasting Lapierre's wines while working on a local bottling line as a teenager; he resolved on the spot to work in the same minimal-intervention style.

Today Descombes farms approximately 15.5 hectares spread across five AOCs: 7.5 hectares in Morgon, 3.5 hectares in Brouilly, 2 hectares in Régnié, 0.5 hectare in Chiroubles, and 2 hectares of Beaujolais-Villages. Farming is organic, certified for many years by Ecocert, using only copper and sulfur in the vineyard. All grapes are hand-harvested.

In the cellar, Descombes uses whole-cluster semi-carbonic maceration with native yeasts in large vats (cement, fiberglass, and stainless steel). The wine is aged for approximately one year in a combination of tank and large wood foudres before bottling with a minimal dose of sulfur and a light, non-sterile filtration. Descombes deliberately releases his wines later than most of his fellow vignerons, believing that extended élevage without heavy sulfur requires more time to ensure stability. He produces two Morgon bottlings: a standard cuvée from younger vines (5 to nearly 50 years old) and an old-vine cuvée, vinified separately.

Wine region

Beaujolais, France

Morgon is one of the 10 Beaujolais crus, a series of village-level appellations clustered in the northern part of the Beaujolais region, on the western slopes of the Saône River. The appellation covers approximately 1,100 hectares surrounding the commune of Villié-Morgon. It is one of the largest and most structured of the ten crus, with aging potential of up to ten years in the best vintages. Morgon was among the first crus to receive AOC recognition, in 1936.

What sets Morgon apart geologically is its weathered, decomposing soil of granite and schist — sometimes called 'rotten rock' due to its friability — which is rich in iron and gives the wines an earthy depth rarely found elsewhere in Beaujolais. The most celebrated lieu-dit, the Côte du Py, is a dome-shaped hill rising to 358 meters with volcanic subsoils covered in schist, producing the densest and most structured wines in the appellation. Other key lieux-dits include Les Charmes, with sandy granite soils and higher elevation producing more perfumed, lighter-bodied wines, and Corcelette, known for aromatic, deeply colored wines. Morgon wines are 100% Gamay Noir and are typically made via semi-carbonic maceration, though many top producers use longer fermentations and barrel aging for their cru-level bottlings.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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