- It’s not easy to raise the bar when your father revolutionized winemaking in a given region, but that is precisely what Charly Thévenet has accomplished with this 2019 Morgon. Building upon the creed of sustainable farming and natural winemaking that brought the “Gang of Four” to the limelight, Charly has brought his own touch, resulting in cru Beaujolais that presents hedonistic pleasure and serious pedigree: chilling the grapes down before fermentation preserves vibrant fruit and freshness, while his decision to forgo punch-downs and pump-overs yields a silky-fine grain without sacrificing underlying structure. Dip your nose into this Morgon for a kaleidoscope of sublime aromas—the spice box perfume could well come from Vosne-Romanée, but no, this is pure Gamay grown in granite, as swallowable as we could ever dream of.—Anthony Lynch