Tasted in Savigny with only Nick Harbour this year – Colleen was partying! 16 December 2021.
Maison Harbour
24 Rue Chanson Maldant
21420 Savigny-lès-Beaune
Tel: +33 6 95 59 08 55
www.maisonharbour.com
More reports with Maison Harbour
Nick on 2020-2021:
“2020 was a great year but we parted with some suppliers as the offer prices were jumping so much. Still, we managed to get close to our normal volume with some extra volume for anumber of our usual labels. Of course, we are down by about 20% in volume in 2021 – but it’s going to be hard to follow the prices as négociant, which means we really need to find a parcel or two of land – we won’t be buying grand crus but maybe some interesting parcels in Savigny, or-so – fingers crossed!”
The wines…
Engaging people to match their engaging wines – honestly more fun for me to drink, in this context, than ‘better’ wines from people where I have less of a connection. All correct, all delicious!
All the reds were racked for bottling in the coming weeks:
2020 Côte de Nuits Villages Prieuré
‘A new wine – super-excited to find this – I was looking for Bourgogne at the time but it’s great, nicely exposed on the slope and a decent price.’
That’s an attractive width of slightly textured aroma – a real invitation. Supple, clean, widening and becoming more intense. That’s a fine and intense finish too – clean, easy and very tasty wine.
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Dominode
About 40-45-year-old vines. All destemmed.
Narrower, deeper, higher-toned – a more vertical nose. Here is energy and a fine intensity – wrapped with a little tannic grain but hardly any dryness. Holding with limpet-like persistence. Simply excellent.
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Vergelesses
Perfumed aromatics – yes, some whole-cluster. In the mouth, there’s some extra volume with tons of complexity too. Mouth-watering and structured – also a little herb complexity. Much more open than the Dominode today. Fine and perfumed wine, also slightly herbed finishing with more dryness than the Dominode – delicious but I’m sure that with time, the Dominode and its extra definition will surpass it…
2020 Corton
From secret location 😉 but from the 2020 vintage this is also organic certified. First picked wine but already with 14°
A fine nose of depth if not width – lovely clarity. Wide, airy and fresh – seems quite early picked in style but then the energy is super with fine clarity of red fruit. Lip-smacking finish with such a fine grain of tannin – impressive, flighty wine. Very good -m though try to be patient – try!
2020 Charmes-Chambertin Aux Charmes
Not a big aromatic but this is a great nose – sinuous and complex, with the impression of fine texture. Direct, ultra-silky, also an early pick is the impression from this fresh style but such an open wine of super clarity. Another very, very good wine.
Les Blancs…
2020 Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay
Vines near Puligny and Chassagne – and doesn’t the nose show it! Airy, wide, almost spicily textured – a super nose. Nice shape in the mouth, there’s tension and energy here – again a little early pick acidity(?) but this has a great shape and a super and juicily long finish. Lovely Bourgogne
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus les Vermots Blanc
A new wine on the hill. That’s a good nose – decent width and textured citrus fruit. Sleek, direct and again juicy. Lovely citrus energy here. Sleek and excellent – there’s fine finishing intensity here too.
2020 Santenay 1er Gravières Blanc
Relatively young vines, worked raisonée. ‘This was a miracle for us to find in 2016 when we had practically no volume – we took a chance – thank goodness – we love this parcel.’
A deeper nose, good energy here too – almost vibrant. A wash, a wave, of flavour over the palate. Great, complex, agrumes and super clarity. Simply excellent wine – a treat – finishing with some bitters and a little phenolic texture!
2020 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru
The same parcel the last 6 years.
A much more compact nose but what I can see (smell!) is both ripe and very pure. Ultrafine in the mouth – sinuous and intense – super texture – that a very fine 1er indeed.
2020 Meursault 1er Poruzots
A more open nose, some noble reduction here – that’s great. Melting flavour, growing with intensity. I love the shape and mouth-feel here. Very citrus but with enough cushion for the acidity. Another simply excellent wine!
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Abbaye de Morgeot
A deeper nose – plenty of width in this depth, more creamy oak visible. Good attack and then there’s a growing crescendo of fruit and acid energy. Long finishing with a little dry extract. I prefer the clarity of the previous two but this is still a very good wine.
2020 Corton-Charlemagne
From Languettes
Just a touch of creamy oak here too but with lots of aromatic dimension to compensate. Mouth-filling, great texture. Another sinuous wine – this more muscular – slowly melting with a fine and intense citrus note. The finish is properly chalky and very long – classy, correct very good, almost excellent Corton-Charlemagne.