Sad news is making its way around the vinosphere today. The great Beaujolais producer Marcel Lapierre died last night after a long struggle with illness. I'm afraid I have no more detail than that to share as of yet.
Marcel Lapierre pouring his 2006 rosé at the Caves-Augé Beaujolais tasting, March 24, 2007.(Photo courtesy of Bertrand Celce, Wine Terroirs.)
I never had the pleasure of meeting Monsieur Lapierre, only of drinking his wines. Here's hoping that he passed sans souffrir and that he will rest in peace. I've little doubt that many a bottle of his Morgon — including an '09, chez moi — will be drunk tonight as gestures of homage.
For those in the New York area, there will be a gathering to pay respects and share remembrances at The Ten Bells, tomorrow night, October 12, at around 7:00 PM.
4 comments:
Very sad news indeed. I was lucky enough to meet Marcel in 2008 while on the Kermit Lynch trip and found him as interesting and likable as his wines. Broken my heart when I heard the news.
The news is sad - the first time I had his wines was at the Baratin some time ago when I lived in Paris. Phillippe, Rachel, Olivier out in the street - rue Jouy-Rouve definitely not your grandma's Beaujolpif... my last truly memorable Lapierre experience was on June 21st, 2009. I flew into Paris from Sacramento, got so...me sleep and headed out into the summer solstice at 7pm - Fete de la Musique, still groggy, jet lagged but oh so happy to be in Paris near the Canal St. Martin. On my own in town, waiting to take a train the next day to see Marie in Souillac... Like a time machine, old Belleville days, musical gigs, art galleries, small theaters, jazz and wine... lots of good wine and waiting to run to Marie ChampagneGirl in Reims.
My feet took my me automatically to the Verre Vole, rue Lancry Paris 11, up narrow streets east of Gare de L'Est, old industrial Paris... I arrived at VV to see the place clear of tables and ready for the evening's party... the only red on the wine list was Marcel Lapierre 2008 - by the bottle. No namby-pamby by the glass orders that night! So, I got a bottle figuring that I'd share... before you knew it, I downed the full bottle. A light red that drank like a fistful of grapes off the vine with chorizo and wonderful Matjes herrings... happily drunk and jet-lagged I headed out into the Parisian white night, when the sun sets at 11pm and the streets are filled with music and people, the smells of wine, food, woman's perfumes, bodies sweating in the warm summer breeze. I wandered to Doung Huong, and ate spicy crab pho to complete the hallucinogenic sensory East Paris orgy... I wandered back along the canal and fell into the deepest happiest sleep in years in my hotel room... Merci Marcel every time I open bottle it's my Madelaine - RIP...
I am also saddened by this news- an amazing producer who I was only able to know through his wines, though by all acounts he was a generous amazing soul; which makes sense as that is often how I see the morgon wines that Marcel created. Truly the passing of an artist.
Sam,
As sad as I am never to have had the chance to meet Marcel, I take solace in so many friends having spent time with him, all with incredibly positive experiences to show for it.
Marc,
Thanks very much for sharing such a detailed and intimate memory. I must say, you paint a fantastic picture and a very fine remembrance.
Ben,
Well said, my friend. "Truly the passing of an artist."
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