Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy
Wines
Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy
Gevrey-Chambertin
Bourgogne Rouge, “La Nouroy”
From a quarter-hectare parcel of 30 plus year-old vines planted on the eastern side of the village of Gevrey; vinified a la the family method just like the more prominent appellations with a long, slow fermentation to obtain the fine extracts of pinot noir; this tiny parcel produces just enough wine to afford us access to 100 cases or so per year.
Gevrey-Chambertin
A classic Gevrey sourced from multiple small parcels (covering more than four hectares) throughout the village which enables the wine to capture the true nature of this grand appellation; the youngest vines for this cuvée are 25 years of age with the oldest being 80 years old. Rich, yet graceful, this Gevrey shows the wild berry fruit and charming rusticity that are the hallmarks of true Gevrey Chambertin; it has an assertive entry and sappy depth of fruit, but the minerality here is notable and precise nonetheless. 20% new oak. Depending on harvest levels, there are 100 to 200 cases available annually for the US market.
Gevrey-Chambertin, “En Jouise”
A lovely wine produced from very old vines (between 60 and 80 years of age); this parcel sits beneath and to the side of Clos Prieur and like its relative neighbors, e.g. Mazis Chambertin, it is a wine of finesse and elegance with silky tannins and a more openly fruity approach. The domaine owns a bit more than a hectare of “En Jouise” making this one of the more important cuvées of the domaine. On an annual basis, we purchase three barrels (900 bottles/75 cases) for the US market.
Gevrey-Chambertin, “Vieilles Vignes”
As is the case with almost every wine that issues from the Harmand-Geoffroy cellars, this cuvée is the product of very old vines; in this instance, the vines were planted 55 to 85 years ago. The result is one of the most powerful wines in the cellar that shows dark, almost somber fruit, a wine that is reticent in its youth and quite profound with seven to ten years of age. The parcels for this wine (En Champs, Champerrier, Combes du Dessus) are situated just beneath the fine 1er Cru “Les Champeaux” and the wine reflects the sturdy, complex aspect of the vines on the north side of Gevrey, the Brochon side
Gevrey-Chambertin, “Clos Prieur”
This wine is from a contiguous parcel that sits astride the Clos Prieur du Haut (classified 1er Cru) and the Clos Prieur du Bas (classified as a village wine); rather than create two tiny cuvées, the domaine prefers to blend the two to make an extra-fine village wine from the lieu-dit “Clos Prieur”. Harmand-Geoffroy owns a bit less than a half-hectare of vineyards in Clos Prieur and the vines therein were planted between 50 and 85 years ago. In our opinion, this is one of the finest village wines available from Gevrey; it is elegant yet powerful with a compelling density and ripe, sweet tannins. We consider ourselves fortunate to have access to at least a single barrel (300 bottles) per annum.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, “Les Champeaux”
Situated on a rocky face high on the Combe de Lavaux in the northwestern sector of Gevrey Chambertin, the Champeaux produces a wine of great nobility and complexity. The Harmand-Geoffroy domaine exploits a mere 2/10 of a hectare of vines in Champeaux, some of which were planted over 80 years ago. We consider this lieu-dit to be amongst the very finest sites in this renowned appellation. We import a mere 300 bottles of this wine annually for the US market.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, “La Bossière—Monopole”
The entirety of this tiny premier cru belongs to the Harmand-Geoffroy. It is situated at the top of the Combe de Lavaux in the northern tier of Gevrey Chambertin in a zone that is slightly colder in climate; thus, the wine is often elegant and austere with notes of wild berries being dominant. This vineyard, encompassing slightly less than a half-hectare, has some of the youngest vines of the domaine (25 years of age) and it will continue to gain in importance and depth as these vines age. A source of only 300 bottles for the US market annually.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, “La Perrière”
This premier cru is located just beneath Mazis Chambertin in the southern tier of Gevrey, a zone which typically provides wines of finesse that are graced by silky tannins. Here, we have a wine frequently marked by red fruits, rather than black; a seductive wine of excellent balance. Production is very limited as the Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy owns a mere 3/10 of a hectare; the vines are 50 years of age. We import 300 bottles per year for the US market.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, “Lavaux Saint-Jacques”
Nestled in the heart of the Combe de Lavaux, “Lavaux Saint-Jacques” is one of the more famous and coveted sites in the appellation, and for good reason—it encompasses a panoply of seemingly at-odds characteristics with ease, and many consider it a grand cru in all but name. The Harmand family is fortunate to work three-quarters of a hectare here, with vines between 45 and 95 years of age. It shows mineral intensity, with spicy, black, fruit overlaying a gamy core. This brooding powerhouse needs time to reveal its inner layers, but an underlying sense of freshness promises a harmonious future. 50% new oak.
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
The Harmand-Geoffroy domaine works a substantial section of this fine Grand Cru … over three-quarters of a hectare. The vines are between 40 and 75 years of age; they face east and sit on well-drained, marne-infused soil. As is often the case with the Grand Crus in this southern tier of Gevrey, this wine, although powerful, is distinguished and fine with notes of raspberry and red cherry fruit in its youth supplemented with the aromas of violet, rose and clove; a more wild side emerges as the wine ages and pepper, licorice and leather add nuance to this beautiful beast. We import between three and four barrels per annum for the US market (900 bottles plus a significant number of magnums).