Written by Mr. Dominique Piron,
After having sold the commercial company in 2020, while keeping the family vineyard…
it’s a new adventure in Beaujolais
“After a first life of fifty years as a winemaker in Morgon – my first harvest declaration going back to 1971 -, I sold in the summer of 2020, the trading company “Maison Piron”, which I had created in 1987, but keeping the family vineyards in Morgon.
Beaujolais is in full revival – Beaujolais is back! – So I decided to dedicate one last little slice of life to this beautiful profession, in another place, but still in this beautiful vineyard, as a simple winemaker, looking for the “best” rather than the “most”.
The story started by my ancestors continues today in a different way, with about 35 ha of vines.
A historical site
“We are now a few kilometers from Morgon, still in the heart of the Beaujolais Crus at the Vieux Bourg in the village of Corcelles, in a historic property, the “Clos du Vieux Bourg”. A Clos of 8 ha in which the two main buildings are the old church “Saint Pierre de Corcelles” with its presbytery. In this church, we have installed our cellar for the 2021 harvest. An atypical but simple cellar where modernity meets old stones, a cellar with a soul and energy.
We are going to enhance this place, give it life and make it a remarkable place in Beaujolais.”
Dominique Piron
A family of winemakers for 5 centuries
Dominique Piron, born in 1950 in Morgon is the 14th generation since Etienne Bailly, also born in 1590 in Morgon.
Some of the family vineyards have been in the family since that time, mainly the “Terrains Rouges”, “Roche Noire” and “Montpelain” vineyards.
One of my ancestors, Benoit Bailly, was one of the first to use the new Briare canal, from the Loire river to the Seine river, opened in 1642, to deliver his wine to Paris.
The vineyards of “Les Pierres” on the Py hill were bought in 1932 by Benoit Piron, my great-grandfather. The vines had been for sale for 2 years – refer to the document -. Benoit had the choice of enlarging his vineyard between this property of 4 ha 60 in Morgon for 90 000 francs at the time, and another of 6 ha 50 in Burgundy for 110 000 francs.
He chose Morgon, it was less far.
In Burgundy, this property was called “Clos de Tart”!… The experts will appreciate…
The wines of Morgon, Chénas and Moulin à Vent were simply at that time, less than a century ago, of the same notoriety and price as the great wines of Burgundy.
More recently, Kristine and I added the Chénas vineyard in 2004, the Morgon “Javernières” vineyard in 2005, and the Corcelles property in Vieux Bourg in 2010.
A team
Nothing would be possible without a good team to manage the vineyard and the cellar all year long, whatever the weather. Without human talent, the Gamay and the granite soils would have no expression.
