2021 Maison Harbour Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus Les Vermots

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.

Savigny-lès-Beaune is the third largest producing appellation in the Côte de Beaune and has 1,343 vineyard acres. Located three miles north of Beaune, the commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune is one of Burgundy’s largest communes with early 1,500 inhabitants. Some 97% of the vineyards are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder planted to Chardonnay. And though there are no Grands Crus, there are 22 Premiers Crus in whole or part. The appellation is divided into vineyards that are either on the hillsides to the north of the highway and river, or on the hillsides to the south. Many reviewers believe that the best vineyards are to the north of the highway, and they include Aux Serpentieres, Aux Vergelesses, and Les Lavieres, among others. The northern vineyards have some of the best southern exposure in Burgundy, which accounts for the quality of the wines from those vineyards. The wines of Savigny-lès-Beaune are considered lighter than many other Burgundy reds. However Robert M. Parker Jr. has noted that the “top wines are usually ready to drink young and are very fruity and stylish…”

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.