Pierre-Henri Morel
Southern Rhone // France
Sustainable
“My wish is to share the passion that I have for this region across a quality selection that respects the typical expression of some of the most beautiful vineyard parcels of vines in the southern Rhône.”
PIERRE-HENRI MOREL
Pierre-Henri Morel was created in 2008 when Pierre-Henri Morel and Michel Chapoutier purchased twenty acres of vineyards aged around 50 years old in Châteauneuf-du-Pape located in the Pignan, Bois Dauphin and Barbe d'Asne lieux-dits.
Pierre-Henri is wholly responsible for the style of the wines, which are made at Chapoutier using the full extent of the equipment and expertise available there. His day-time job is as Chapoutier’s commercial director, having joined the company in 2000 and been deeply involved in its management since.
The old Pignan and Bois-Dauphin vineyards, planted mostly with Grenache and Syrah are farmed without synthetic chemical input and form the centre-piece of this range of wines, supplemented with the Gigondas and Côtes du Rhône Villages wines from fruit that Pierre-Henri finds especially appealing.
A few other wines round out the line: Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun and Signargues, from the right bank of the Rhône facing Châteauneuf-du-Pape, are outstanding values, and a Gigondas, made from plots located on high-altitude terraces made of alluvial soils that endow the wines with lovely freshness, balance and minerality.
Featured Wines
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
2021
Mainly Grenache with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Grapes from a Quaternary terrace of pebbles. Traditional vinification in concrete vats over three weeks. Aged for 12 to 15 months in concrete vats.
Dark ruby colour with aromas of strawberry, blackcurrant and blackberry with some peppery, garrigue spicy, herbal notes. Grainy yet supple tannins, bright acidity and elegant minerality match rich, intense black fruit with a long finish.
Gigondas
2021
Mostly Grenache with some Syrah and Mourvèdre (around 10%). Very varied soils of marl, limestone, clay and sand. The wine comes from the blending of plots which are located on high and medium height terraces of alluvial soils. Traditional vinification of batches in concrete vats with a small proportion in 600L barrels. Bottled after 12 to 18 months.
Inky red-purple with elegant aromas of black cherries, red fruit and pepper, savoury, meaty flavours and garrigue notes with grippy tannins and long length.
Ready for drinking now, combining elegant fruit and medium body with fine concentration: a slightly lighter touch than the Chateauneuf with more fine-grained tannins that will improve over the next five or six years.