WTN- Lapierre and St Innocent

I've had two wonderful, medium bodied reds over the last few days. Both were a delight! Still one more Lapierre to try in the future.

• 2017 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville (2025-01-11)
  A beautiful OR pinot right from the first pour. Lots of intense cherry and strawberry fruit, some Asian spices, and a savory earthy note as well. Great balance, with the acidity right in the zone and slight structuring tannins; good concentration. Wonderful now, but should gain complexity with further aging. One of the better OR pinots I've had in a while. (A-/A)
• 2009 Marcel Lapierre Morgon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (2025-01-11)
  Drinking very well now, this provides an explosion of black cherry notes with a hint of spices and some ripe tannins on the finish. Lovely acidity. Low on the complexity scale, but high on the yummy scale! An exuberant, pure, intense, joyful Beaujolais. Ready now, but it still has a fair amount of time left given the tannins and fruit levels. (A-)

[*]2009 Marcel Lapierre Morgon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (2025-01-11)
Drinking very well now... Low on the complexity scale, but high on the yummy scale! An exuberant, pure, intense, joyful Beaujolais. Ready now, but it still has a fair amount of time left given the tannins and fruit levels. (A-)[/list]

Sounds good. I tend to drink my Beaujolais younger, because low on complexity and high on exuberance and joy is how they show in the years after release. But, I'm sure there were some gains to the texture for all the aging?

I didn't try a bottle when I first bought it, so I can't say how it tasted earlier. But from other Beaujolais I've tried in multiple years, it just very slightly loses its fruit and maybe slightly earthy notes emerge? Perhaps the texture does get a tiny bit more velvety. But it really depends on the producer, bottling, etc. I just like aging them to see what happens - it doesn't seem to hurt them in any way. It takes quite some time for them to go downward though, surprising so.

[David M. Bueker]

How timely! I just “found” a bottle of 2009 Lapierre in my cellar.

I didn't try a bottle when I first bought it...I just like aging them to see what happens...

Wow. That is some restraint!

I've had aged Beaujolais and I agree the results vary across producers. Sometimes it can be quite ethereal and delicious (thinking in particular of the older Chamonard Morgons). For me, I don't age Beaujolais because I have so many other wines aging and need something to drink young. But interesting to hear about other practices.

I like the better Beaujolais with some age on it - have a stash of 2015 Domaine Lucien Lardy Moulin-à-Vent Les Thorins that is showing better than ever (except that I only have one bottle left). The plain and simple stye doesn't merit much aging but the better ones benefit.

I like Beaujolais with and without age, though usually opt for latter for Lapierre. Thanks for notes.
St Innocent used to be th Oregon winery I drank the most (early aughts vintages), but haven't seen much around here in ages. Probably just the stores I frequernt.