Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes
- Laurenz Möseler
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais
Siblings Claude-Emmanuelle and Louis-Benoît have been making wine in Beaujolais for eight generations now. Claude-Emmanuelle took over the reins of the estate in 2002, and not long after, her brother Louis-Benoît joined her—as a career changer, no less. When your last name literally means “of the vines,” you kinda have to go all in. Their Papa, Louis-Claude, cheekily planned ahead by giving both of his children part of his name—thus planting the name of the estate in their cradles. Today, the two work organically across 13 hectares on some of the oldest vines in Morgon, right in the heart of Beaujolais, in southern Burgundy.
Everything here revolves around Gamay noir.The grape variety—a natural cross between Pinot and Heunisch (shoutout Heunisch & Erben!)—has roots in Burgundy (particularly the South) that stretch back to the Middle Ages. Its history there is... complicated. Enter the decree of 1395: The Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, made the first written mention of the grape when he labeled the newly invading “Gameez” in the Côte d’Or as a treacherous, low-quality vine with excessive yields—supposedly even harmful to health.
In reality, people were probably more worried about Pinot Noir losing ground. It was, already then, the region’s prized grape, producing wines held in high esteem, and Gamay, with its early, easy-drinking superjuiciness was edging in. The decree, then, can be read as an effort to stabilize the wine market—which, even back then, was of the utmost importance in Burgundy.
Historians also interpret a deliberate assertion of the Duke’s political authority—an effort to solidify control over the region’s cultural aswell as agricultural identity and to elevate Pinot Noir as the noble grape of Burgundy. By outlawing Gamay, Philip the Bold wasn’t just shaping the wine market; he was reinforcing a social order and declaring who had the power to decide what counted as quality.
In any case, after the ban, Gamay became even more concentrated in the neighboring southern region of Beaujolais—whose granite soils, as it turns out, are far better suited to the grape than the marl of the north.
These accusations against Gamay sound bizarre today—but they’re not completely unrelatable. Nowadays, the grape suffers under a not dissimilar reputation: that of producing a fruit-forward, youthful wine meant to be drunk young—sometimes overly industrial, even. The buzzword here is Beaujolais Nouveau. Through carbonic maceration (aka maceration carbonique), the grape is pushed to release max aromatics. This fun-time wine quickly conquered the French market, and then the international one over the late 20th century. Naturally, this was followed by a wave of mass production—maximum yield, fastest turnover, lowest price.
It should be obvious, though, that this reputation doesn’t reflect the whole region—or even all Beaujolais Nouveau wines. In fact, we’re witnessing a somewhat belated but very real boom in popularity for a very particular kind of wine... the Beaujolais Cru. Much like Burgundy, Beaujolais has 10 recognized Crus, covering around 6,600 hectares in the northern part of the region, where granite soils are ideal for Gamay. Quality- and terroir-focused winemaking has long been the norm here. But with all the noise coming from Burgundy, people hardly hear about it. Yet villages like Fleurie, Morgon, and Moulin-à-Vent are currently offering drinking pleasure, character, and aging potential—for just a fraction of Burgundy prices. Many domaines from the Côte d’Or are currently expanding southward, buying up vineyards or sourcing grapes here—they want in on the action.
Fortunately, the Desvignes family has been making wine in Morgon since 1712 and doesn’t need to worry much about expansion.They’re happy with their 13 hectares, able to work every parcel by hand and vinify everything with a small team. Still, if an intriguing, tiny, old plot comes along—like the one behind “Aux Pierres”—the siblings understandably can't say no...
Entre excellence et singularité.
Morgon “La Voûte St. Vincent” 2023
The estate’s flagship wine, La Voûte St. Vincent, is a blend of parcels from within the Douby climat (site), located at the northern edge of Morgon—close to Fleurie and Chiroubles. Here, 45-year-old vines grow on 4.5 hectares of the region’s classic sandy, decomposed granite soils. Everything is farmed organically and worked by hand. The wine takes its name from the voûte—the old vaulted cellar of the estate—dedicated to Saint Vincent, the historic patron saint of winemakers.
In the cellar, it’s all about tradition. Half of the grapes are destemmed, then fermented spontaneously on the skins in the traditional way - no co2. After a 10-day maceration, the young wine is transferred to concrete tanks for nine months of aging. A gentle filtration rounds out the process before bottling.
The nose bursts with red berries—lively, elegant, and inviting. On the palate, it’s wonderfully balanced: already open and approachable, yet layered and thoughtful. A wine that invites both contemplation and another sip. Really a brilliant expression of its appellation and terroir.
Morgon “Château Gaillard” 2023
We’re in the northeasternmost climat of Morgon, in the Château Gaillard, right up against the border with Fleurie. The Desvignes siblings cultivate just 1.03 hectares here, but the vineyard material is exceptional. First planted in 1920 and partially replanted in 1950, this is old-vine Gamay with deep roots in poor, sandy, decomposed granite soils. This delicate vineyard is worked entirely by hand—aside from a quick ploughing with the vineyard tractor.
As with all Desvignes wines, the grapes are harvested by hand. Only 10% of the fruit is destemmed; the rest is fermented as whole clusters. After a 10-day maceration on the skins, the young wine is aged for seven months in concrete tanks. A light filtration is done before bottling.
This is a single-site wine with impressive drinkability, even in its youth. Thanks to the concrete élevage, it’s pleasantly open without any aromatic interference—something oak can sometimes impose especially in youth. Here, Gamay delivers a beautifully fine, filigree tannin structure, carried by a precise acid drive. On the palate: plenty of fresh berries, a floral touch, and an overall sense of depth and length that remains delicate, calm, and quietly composed.
Morgon “Montpelain” 2023
Another climat in the northeast of Morgon, Montpelain lies just south of Château Gaillard, separated from it by the Douby River, which runs between the two. The vines here are also over 80 years old, digging deep into more clay-rich sandy soils, drawing minerals from the layers below.
This site-specific bottling only began in 2017—after a nasty hailstorm hit much of the estates land, but sparing this one. A separate vinification was the only option, and the result turned out so compelling that Montpelain has been bottled on its own every year since.
Compared to Château Gaillard, this wine shows a deeper, darker profile: black berries, plum, and a smoky graphite edge. On the palate, that signature juiciness returns, but it’s paired with a more serious structure and impressive length. A true reflection of its terroir—and a textbook showcase for what Gamay can be at its best.
Vinification mirrors that of the other climat wines, like Gaillard: mostly whole-cluster fermentation, with a 10-day maceration. The young wine then spends 7 months aging in concrete tanks and is lightly filtered before bottling.
Morgon Javernières “Aux Pierres” 2023
Aux Pierres is a newcomer to the Desvignes lineup, sourced from a tiny 0.57-hectare parcel of century-old vines in the eastern part of the Côte du Py— in the Javernières sector. The name of the plot itself, translating to “from the stones,” already hints at the character of the wine.
Planted in 1925 and hitting its 100-year mark in 2025 (!), this vineyard grows on poor, mineral-rich volcanic soils laced with slate, iron oxide, and manganese—elements that support vine health and depth of flavor. It’s a fascinating terroir, long considered among the most promising in all of Morgon.
The minuscule yields are harvested by hand and vinified entirely as whole clusters. After a 10-day maceration in vat, the wine is aged for 10 months in a 3,000-liter concrete egg. A light filtration is done at bottling.
Already in its first vintages, Desvignes have managed to craft a distinct style here: a Gamay of impressive density and depth, structured and intense, built on black fruit and an almost salty, mineral brightness. This is great Burgundy in disguise.
Morgon Javernières “Les Impénitents” 2023
The masterpiece of Desvignes, an emotional wine that tells the story of the region. Les Impénitents—“The Untiring Ones”—is a tribute to Louis Claude Senoir, who, along with other top winemakers of the region, resolutely championed the development of the Cru system in Beaujolais. His belief in Gamay as an equal to Pinot Noir was shared by his grandfather, Louis-Gabriel, who already tended to these vines planted around 1912. So, we’re talking about a 110-year-old Gamay vineyard—something we don’t hear about every day.
Located on 0.8 hectares at the foot of the Py Hill, in Javernières, the vines grow in deep clay soils rich in iron oxide, providing the ancient plants with essential nutrients and minerals. Everything is farmed organically, with plenty of manual work. The result is an extremely concentrated yield from these old vines.
The vinification process here follows the usual method: mostly whole-cluster fermentation, with a traditional maceration lasting about two weeks. The wine is then transferred to a concrete tank, where it ages on the lees until the next harvest.
Dense and deep, rich in extract yet sleek at the same time. Aromatically darker, but nothing cooked or jammy. Driven forward by a vibrant acidity, this wine has a puristic mouthfeel like chewing on rock itself. A seriously structured juice from a truly historic vineyard. This one has the potential to age for decades, but a big decanter and a free schedule will already show you what it's made of.
