2023 Domaine Mont Verrier Janin Morgon Beaujolais 750 ml

The Beaujolais crus produce serious red wines—sophisticated bottlings that Wine Enthusiast said “stand against many fine Burgundies.” And they do it at prices that make Burgundy seem larcenous.

No cru Beaujolais has impressed us more this year than the 2023 Domaine Mont Verrier Janin Morgon. It’s a single-vineyard wine from old vines in the region’s most famous village—and it boasts a 97-point score and “Best in Show” honors from Decanter’s World Wine Awards. 

Mont Verrier has been making wine since 1697, when Sir Aubry received his coat of arms from Louis XIV's royal counsellor. Fast forward three centuries. The historic property had fallen into disrepair—but Gérard Legrand couldn't bear to see it sold off piecemeal, so he purchased it, in 2007, and began an ambitious restoration. He restructured the vineyards using sustainable methods, earning HVE certification in 2019. He now uses zero insecticides—just organic fertilizers and meticulous care.

Today, Legrand’s vineyards include some in Morgon, the heart of Beaujolais, a village whose name is synonymous with ageworthy Gamay. The Janin bottling comes from a single parcel of old vines planted on shallow, fractured granite soils in the famed Corcelette climat.

Corcelette stands alongside the Côte de Py as one of the defining sub-zones of Morgon. The lieu-dit’s granitic soils and sunny exposures consistently produce some of the cru’s most compelling wines—they tend to show darker fruit, a subtle mineral edge, and a natural balance that makes them both expressive and deeply satisfying from the first pour. These wines will age, but are often more satisfying young than other wines from the cru. Mont Verrier’s 2023 Janin is already brilliant.

After manual harvesting and careful sorting, the wine fermented two-thirds as whole clusters, then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. This thoughtful, site-specific winemaking results in Morgon of real pedigree: It’s firm yet juicy, with velvety tannins and the depth to cellar for years. It’s the kind of cru Beaujolais that reminds you why Morgon is legendary—and why savvy Burgundy lovers are looking south for their next great discovery.