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Eric Morgat

Eric Morgat does not have a long history in the Savennières appellation, although he does come from a long line of vignerons. His forebears worked principally in the Coteaux du Layon appellation, his grandfather having acquired Château de Breuil in 1959. It would have been only natural for Eric to follow in the family footsteps at Breuil, but he chose to beat a different path instead; he moved north, crossing the river, and started to put down roots in the appellation of Savennières.

The move came in 1995, shortly after Morgat had returned to the family domaine following completion of his studies. He had only been back one month when the touch-paper was lit with the offer of a tiny parcel of land in the Savennières appellation, which he decided to buy. Shortly afterwards, making good use of his family's contacts in the region, Eric then acquired a somewhat larger parcel. This later acquisition was to form the core of his new domaine, as it included not only 1.5 hectares of vines but also a cave, some equipment and a small house. The property lay at the foot of the Roches aux Moines, and Morgat began to market the wines under the label of Domaine de la Monnaie.

The Morgat Vineyards

And so Eric began his evolution and transformation, trialling new processes in vineyard and cellar, and acquiring new vines. He bought another 2.9 hectares soon after his initial purchase, this being L'Enclos, With light schist subsoils and a thin layer of sand at the surface, this is the first parcel that Eric planted up. Subsequently he began to look for plots of vines elsewhere, and perhaps the most notable of these was 0.4 hectares of vines on a south-facing schistous slope within the Roches aux Moines cru. The vines were young, as the site had been replanted in 1998, and Eric only began renting the site in 2004. He has another 1 hectare at La Pierre Becherelle, a long-forgotten east-facing slope of grey schist right on the bank of the Loire. Although a few old roots and posts indicated that vines were once cultivated here, that was a long time ago. What Eric acquired was essentially wasteland, and as with the Roches aux Moines he replanted soon after its acquisition, bringing the clos back to life.

It is not only his vineyards that have seen upheaval, however, as along the way Eric himself has had to uproot and relocate, having been forced from his home when his landlord sold it. He found a new base near the southern end of the appellation on the road out to La Possonière, at the Clos de Ferrand. Reputedly one of the best sites of the appellation, this clos has lain unplanted for several decades, as the previous owner grubbed up the vines, built a house in the centre of the plot and used the surrounding land as pasture for cattle. Although Eric has told me of his plans for replanting, at present it appears he is nurturing the many different varieties of Chenin Blanc that he has rediscovered here, and the small quantity of fruit this clos yields is blended into the L'Enclos cuvée. This is also true of the fruit originating from the Roches aux Moines and La Pierre Becherelle vineyards.

Following the loss of his cave he makes what small quantities of wine he can within some rented space in the nearby Château de Coulaine, with a firm but not pure focus on Savennières. He has also acquired a 1-hectare plot of dry, south-facing land named Litus near Beaulieu-sur-Layon, entitled to the Anjou appellation. The terroir is spilite (otherwise known as pierre-bise) and underfoot it is extraordinarily rocky, Eric reportedly using a crowbar to manhandle the vines into position when he established the vineyard in 2003. The vines first bore fruit in quantities sufficient for a commercial cuvée in 2008, hence this is the first vintage tasted below.

All in all then Eric has about 6 hectares of vineyards, concentrated in but not exclusive to the Savennières appellation, which he tends with the help of his assistant Louis-Marie. Of his domaine, about 4.5 hectares are in solid production, while the remainder is only just coming on-line having been recently replanted, as detailed above.

The Wines of Eric Morgat

Although Eric initially sold his wines as Domaine de la Monnaie he would occasionally, as a result of his experimentations, release a special cuvée called L'Enclos. With time, however, as he found his style (and also as he left this original domaine) the Monnaie name has been dropped, and L'Enclos now accounts for Eric's entire production, including the produce of the vines within Clos de Ferrand and Roches aux Moines.

On the whole the vineyard philosophy is organic, although without certification, and this philosophy is carried through into the cellars. Eric professes that he eschews technology in the cellar, following natural and simple processes wherever possible. The fruit for L'Enclos is fermented in 400-litre barrels, of which between 10% and 20% are new each vintage, using only naturally occurring yeasts. Following the completion of fermentation some barrels will go on to a spontaneous malolactic fermentation, and both malo and non-malo wines will be eligible for the final blend. The wines remain in barrel, without racking, for close to one year, and just before the following harvest the different barrels are assembled en cuve, where the wine continues to rest (while the barrels are reused for the next vintage, of course) until bottling after an élevage totalling 22 months.

The Savennières vines are all Chenin Blanc planted on schist, and Morgat desires the unique character that this combination brings to be expressed in the wines, together with maximum texture - or gras, as he puts it - and minerality too. To some extent this is achieved with bâtonnage, keeping the lees in suspension in the wine. The wine when it goes into bottle is likely to be rich but he finds that given time the austerity then returns, and Eric cites the 2003 L'Enclos as a classic example; fat and heavy with fruit when it was first bottled, but five years on a very structured, upright and serious wine. Whereas the 2005 vintage is just - as you might expect - a couple of years behind, still evolving, moving towards that firm austerity which appears to be Eric's ultimate goal. As for the Anjou cuvée Litus, introduced in 2008, this is handled in exactly the same fashion as for L'Enclos, the major difference therefore lying with the terroir which is spilite rather than schist. At present, with minimal tasting experience, it is not possible to discuss how this wine evolves over time as I have done for L'Enclos. Nevertheless, this is a broad and grippy style with firm oak influence in youth in a manner similar to its big brother, and I expect it will develop along similar lines..

Meeting Eric Morgat is a pleasure; he is clearly impassioned, thoughtful and dedicated to his vines and wines. I have only tasted recent vintages and the quality speaks for itself. He seems to have found a middle ground I think, making substantial wines, heavily oak-influenced in their youth (as so many great wines are) but my tasting experience suggests they absorb this well, regaining a delineation and attractive rather than sullen austerity only hinted at when the wines are young. They suggest Eric is one of the modern-day stars of Savennières. (4/5/10, updated 26/5/11)

Contact details:
Address: Clos Ferrand, 49170 Savennières
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 41 72 22 51
Fax: +33 (0) 2 41 78 30 03
Internet: www.ericmorgat.com

Eric Morgat - Tasting Notes

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Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2009: A barrel sample, to be bottled in July 2011. A lovely polished style here, although there is an obvious oak influence at this stage, but a very pure and harmonious sense to it. I find notes of honey and oaky fennel alongside the reserved, rather golden fruits. The same character comes through on the palate, which shows some overt and rather domineering oak at present, but with a characteristic spice coming from behind. There is nice acidity at its core, and a slightly dried-fruit character, and a good grippy finish. Difficult to judge at this primary stage, when Morgat wines are always smothered in oak, but these wines have a habit of coming good. From my 2011 Eric Morgat update. 17-18/20 (January 2011)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2008: This was bottled in July last year, and so has been in bottle for about six months now. Accordingly it has much less oak influence on the nose, which is still honeyed and smoothly polished, and showing elements of fennel from the wood. But it is still in a very primary phase. Nicely composed, an elegant style, with a firm midpalate grip coming through. It has very precise and firm acidity as well, the overall feel really rather grippy. Right now this seems very tight and broad, with a structured finish. Certain potential here. From my 2011 Eric Morgat update. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2008: This vintage has a lovely, honeyed nose, and strangely the oak is less apparent here than the 2007 vintage, which has already been in bottle for close to a year, whilst this currently rests in wood. Perhaps just not so long! Good quality to the fruit, a pure style, dense with good texture and acidity, and pretty floral aromas and flavours. A firm acid core gives this wine life, backing up a beautifully defined seam of fruit, and overall this has gorgeous style. An impressive sample which has excellent potential, although I suspect in a year or two it will have a much more oaky feel which means this is going to need time. 17.5-18.5+/20 (February 2010)

Eric Morgat Anjou Blanc Litus 2008: This new cuvée comes from young vines planted in 2003, and it spends one year in wood, then one year in cuve. The nose suggests an appealing style here, with notes of honey and vanilla cream, very elegant and welcoming and relaxed. Despite this rather welcoming nose the palate is typical Morgat, all grip and oak, with a rather dry feel from the wood. There is nice acidity at its core, and it feels very substantial in the mouth, the phenolics and wood tannins here drawing in the sides. Towards the finish it has some notes of dried, papery nuts. And there is a lot of grip in the finish as well. This is certainly an interesting style but I'm not sure the fruit can stand up to the wood here. This one needs reassessment after more time in bottle. From my 2011 Eric Morgat update. 15.5?/20 (January 2011)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2007: Bottled during the summer of 2009. Fine and restrained on the nose, lightly honeyed, with a touch of mineral and quartz. There is certainly a finesse to the style of fruit here, the nose suggesting elegance. It doesn't scream concentration either though. Indeed the palate kicks off in an elegant fashion, despite the honey, vanilla and toffee-caramel-oak flavours that you might think would preclude such a style. There wine is certainly imbued with plenty of grippy oak tannin, underpinning a rich and creamy substance. Plenty of structure and texture here, also some bitterness too which I find texturally very appealing although I think it will need to integrate. A big, resonating and structured finish, although it has a soft, sappy, fading length. I will need to see good oak integration to raise my score on the wine. 16-16.5+/20 (February 2010)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2005: The nose here shows a layer of intense, lightly creamed, lemon-citrus fruit. This has a wonderful style, I feel showing quite 'classic' on tasting although the oak use evident in the younger wines, now fully integrated here, would no doubt make some place him in a very 'modern' pigeon-hole. There is good minerality here too. On the palate there is a fine and creamy texture, mineral-tinged fruit with lots of substance. And elegantly poised wine with and amazing mineral core which has continued to develop very nicely since my last tasting about a year ago. Excellent. 18+/20 (February 2010)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2005: This wine has a moderately rich lemon-gold hue, and perhaps not the depth of colour I have seen in other Anjou Blanc and Savennières from this vintage - that's not necessarily a bad thing. The nose is not so expressive either, showing only a rather restrained, slightly plump but well defined layer of fruit, in the apple and pear spectrum. It's all rather subtle, compared to the 2004 tasted not that long ago which was very expressive. The palate though is just beautiful; not so much in terms of flavour, which is similarly restrained, but in terms of structure, a rich yet elegant weight, and a precise balance which is admirable in view of the wine's delicious substance. It is harmonious, slightly honeyed, broad and rather flattering, and yet it is certainly dry, with fine acidity carrying the wine across the palate, which remains really very fresh and lifted throughout as a result. This carries onto the finish, which is more minerally, but almost juicy in its vivaciousness. The length shows peppery, nettly substance underneath it all, and it goes on and on. This is very impressive, and I can't wait to see what it does with a year or two in the cellar. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 18.5+/20 (March 2009)

Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos 2004: A lemon gold hue. The nose is really entrancing, very open and harmonious, with aromas of straw, vanilla and lanolin, perhaps reflecting the oak in part, over a layer of golden fruits. The entry has a firm character, but it very quickly fans out to reveal an accessible, lively, vivacious and friendly weight of fruit, grippy vanilla tones and dried stone fruits, with a sweetly ripe but very dry nature. Soft, very slightly fat, but very well balanced, with well integrated acidity. So complete on the palate, deliciously ready to drink, with a real twist of grip on the finish. This is really an excellent example of the appellation. It may improve in bottle with time, but I think I would be tempted to just drink it now. 18+/20 (November 2008)