2020 Domaine de la Beche, Morgon Cotes de Py

This is labeled under the family name rather than the domaine name for inheritance and tax reasons. Py is a collapsed volcano cone, a great mound dominating the landscape just south of the town of Villié-Morgon, and it is composed primarily of schist with some granite and blue-stoned andesite. The southern end of this mound is considered the best zone for vines—it has the best exposition plus it’s the rockiest (super rocky!), whereas the northern end is much sandier—and the Depardons have all of their 7.5 acres in three parcels on the southern end, facing south and southeast. The grapes are de-stemmed, fermented with indigenous yeast, and the wine is raised for nine to ten months entirely in old foudres of 5- to 6,000-liters. The Depardon’s Côte du Py is all about finesse and concentrated elegance. No fining; light filtration at bottling. Production averages 1,250 cases.