Dead at 60 from cancer:

<http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20101012-pioneering-natural-wine-maker-marcel-lapierre-dies>

It is almost impossible to overstate his importance to the world of
wine. As a disciple of Jules Chauvet, he pioneered the resurgence of
Beaujolais, spearheading Kermit Lynch's "Gang of Four (Five)" of
quality-orinented traditionalists in the Beaujolais. He also led the
movement toward "natural wine" that has now taken hold in Europe and has
begun to gain traction in the USA.

On a personal level, I had one of my most memorable winery visits in
2001 at the residence of M. Lapierre. We spent the entire afternoon in
his cave tasting barrel samples (he made one wine then) and his proposed
assemblage for that year's wine. We tasted 17 samples, I believe,
including a head-to-head comparison of two samples of the same wine, one
of which had been treated with SO2, the other of which hadn't. The
differences were astonishing, with the unsulfured wine showing fresher
and more fruity. At the end of this orgy of wine, we exited to his
courtyard where he treated us to fresh-baked bread and artisanal
charcuterie that he'd brought back from the Netherlands which we washed
down with some of his wine. I trace my love affair with quality Cru
Beaujolais to that day.

M. Lapierre, you will be missed.

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Oct 12, 5:59*pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Dead at 60 from cancer:
>
> <http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20101012-pioneering-natural-wine-mak...>
>
> It is almost impossible to overstate his importance to the world of
> wine. *As a disciple of Jules Chauvet, he pioneered the resurgence of
> Beaujolais, spearheading Kermit Lynch's "Gang of Four (Five)" of
> quality-orinented traditionalists in the Beaujolais. *He also led the
> movement toward "natural wine" that has now taken hold in Europe and has
> begun to gain traction in the USA.
>
> On a personal level, I had one of my most memorable winery visits in
> 2001 at the residence of M. Lapierre. *We spent the entire afternoon in
> his cave tasting barrel samples (he made one wine then) and his proposed
> assemblage for that year's wine. *We tasted 17 samples, I believe,
> including a head-to-head comparison of two samples of the same wine, one
> of which had been treated with SO2, the other of which hadn't. *The
> differences were astonishing, with the unsulfured wine showing fresher
> and more fruity. *At the end of this orgy of wine, we exited to his
> courtyard where he treated us to fresh-baked bread and artisanal
> charcuterie that he'd brought back from the Netherlands which we washed
> down with some of his wine. *I trace my love affair with quality Cru
> Beaujolais to that day.
>
> M. Lapierre, you will be missed.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

Sad news, truly a giant