Gérard Harmand and his son Philippe produce archetypal Gevrey Chambertin from a superb range of terroirs. They have remarkable, old vine holdings in Lavaux St Jacques, Champeaux, Perrière and La Bossiere (Monopole), as well as a healthy slice of the Grand Cru Mazis Chambertin. If you love classic Gevrey with site transparency, lifted aromatics, fresh, crunchy fruit and fine, powdery tannins, then these wines are for you.
Many changes have occurred at this Domaine over the last five years. Only perfect fruit now makes it into the wines and very gentle handling of fruit, must and wine is the order of the day. There is now a strict sorting of bunches in the vineyard and then again via a sorting table, when the grapes arrive in the winery. Tannin and colour extraction now occurs via gentle pump-overs as opposed to punch-downs. This results in far finer tannins. Also, all mechanical pumps have been removed from the winery and now gas pressure and gravity are used to move the must/wine. The wines are also moved as little as possible. With top-drawer fruit and now with more attention to detail in the winery, this Domaine’s star is certainly on the rise. The wines are now much stronger, more intense and are a joy to drink. And while quality has only risen since 2005, prices remain truly modest: testament to the integrity of this Domaine.