2020 Maison Harbour Corton

Maison Harbour in Savigny-les-Beaune makes Premier Cru and villages Burgundy in a traditional style, though the maison’s backstory is anything but traditional. In a region where maisons and domaines typically are held in the same family for generations, Maison Harbour is a new producer started only a few years ago by a young Canadian/American couple with no previous winemaking experience and no family background in Burgundy or any other winemaking region. Colleen and Nicholas Harbour’s leap into the storied world of Burgundian winemaking started in 2011, when the couple quit their banking jobs in Luxembourg and enrolled in viticulture programs in Beaune. To support themselves they worked at a local negociant and domaines, and they bought grapes from local growers, which was itself an accomplishment considering their lack of history in the area. Remarkably, they were able to purchase grapes from Premier Cru parcels in Pommard, Gevrey-Chambertin and Chassange-Montrachet, as well as villages grapes from Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée. They make their wine in their garage and their very limited production is available normally only through a mailing list.

Corton is a Grand Cru vineyard for red wine within the Corton appellation. It is a long, slender, stony limestone site that wraps part way around the top slopes of Montagne de Corton, a hill that reaches to 1,150 feet. The 234-acre vineyard primarily faces south, west and east, and is sheltered by a windbreak of trees while also receiving excellent exposure to sun. Corton is the Cote de Beaune’s only red Grand Cru. The largest producers are Louis Latour, with 37.5 acres; Hospices de Beaune, with 16 acres; and D'Ardhuy, with 11.85 acres. The names of smaller vineyards within Corton are frequently added to the names of Corton wines, resulting in names such as Corton Les Renardes, Corton Les Chaumes, Corton les Perrieres, etc.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.