2013 Lapierre Morgon Tradition

(this is the non-sulfured version of this wine, which is designated by an "N" on the left side of the back label): Lurid ruby. Black raspberry, violet and smoky minerals on the highly fragrant nose and in the mouth. Juicy, focused and pure, with a hint of blood orange coming up slowly as the wine opens. This lively, focused wine finishes with excellent clarity and length, the supple tannins coming in late. The differences between these two versions of this wine are fairly slight right now but in my experience the no-sulfur bottling shows more brightness for the first two or three years after release while the sulfured rendition holds up somewhat better to cellaring. If cellaring this wine were a priority--and for me it is--I'd opt for the "S" bottling, and in fact I did.