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Summer Adventure in Burgundy 1 - The Story Begins - 6/21/2013 4:11:03 AM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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I’m a retiree living with my wife Leslie in South Carolina. The start of an great adventure is a week away and I am getting excited. I’m excited to get to work with my son (Nicholas) and his wife (Colleen) as they begin making a new life as wine makers in France. They bought a 300 year old winery in the small Burgundy village of Savigny-les-Beaune. The winery is small (80 barrels per year maximum) and hasn’t been used for 50 years. There is no equipment, water, electricity, lights, or even a drain. There is an old stone floor. So I will first be part of a big refurbishing plan they have. We’ll be laying a new floor, installing drains, utilities and and insulation. I look forward to the preparation of the winery (cuverie) but even more to the first year of production for the new Maison Harbour. This year the plan is to make 2 Premier/Grand Cru red Burgundies (7 barrels - 2,100 bottles) and 1 white Premier Cru (3 barrels - 900 bottles).

My son and his wife quit their jobs in the financial world last year and moved to France with a plan. They spent the year attending the Lycée viticole in Beaune (the prestigious wine school in Burgundy) where Nicholas followed the technical aspects of wine making and Colleen the Masters in Wine Business. Nicholas had a “stage” (internship) for Château Génot-Boulanger in the famous white wine village of Meursault. During the stage, he followed/performed all the technical details of one red wine (Corton “Les Combes” Grand Cru) and one white wine (Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru) from the grape harvest through alcoholic fermentation and cellaring. At the same time he was able to secure enough Grand Cru grapes for his own two small scale batches (100L). Nicholas also had a stage with fellow American, Ray Walker at Maison Ilan in Nuit-Saint-George. There is a detailed account of these experiences complete with photos and videos on their web site (www.MaisonHarbour.com). It is very interesting reading and I encourage you to go back to their first posting in “The Story” section and read forward. You’ll learn a lot and I think you’ll find it interesting.

For my part I wanted to document my adventure. I thought about a blog but I’m not sure I could figure that out, so I decided to post it here on CellarTracker through the summer and into the fall harvest and wine making. I am happy to answer questions for anyone who wants to follow my posts and I welcome your comments.

I'll close with a photo of Nicholas (Top) and Colleen (Right) in front of Maison Harbour bringing the big press (Goliath) home with some friends help. They pushed the press on the road from its previous owner in Chorey les Beaune all the way to Savigny les Beaune. The red wine press should handle a 30 hl fermenter (8 barrels). You can see from the photo we will be very busy getting the cuverie ready for the 2013 vendange (harvest).

A Beintôt,
Gary

< Message edited by gharbour -- 8/29/2013 3:39:33 AM >

_____________________________

Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

Post #: 1

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 4:35:04 AM

khmark7

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From: Chicago suburbs
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Very cool and best of luck on their (and yours) adventure. Sounds like a big start-up.

It's too bad they don't offer wine making classes at the local university out here.

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 4:35:43 AM

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Joined: 11/12/2011
From: Wandering between Coastal SC and South FL
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great story.
Good luck and keep posting.
(especially on Thursdays)

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Tous les chemins mènent à la Bourgogne!
"One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and -- one talks about it!" (in memory of drycab)

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Post #: 3

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 4:57:20 AM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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Hi KHMark

I wanted to be a little educated before going out to help make wine this year and didn't have access to classes locally so I enrolled for free on the University of California Davis wine education web site at:

http://enologyaccess.org/EA2/

Then went through their wine classes on line.

I also subscribed to Wines and Vines magazine online.

http://www.winesandvines.com/index.cfm

You'll get access to all their back issues and I read them all. You'll learn tons. Of course there is no substitute for having a hands on teacher and Nicholas will be mine. He has quite a few wine makers in the area that are very supporting and give him advice constantly.

_____________________________

Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

(in reply to khmark7)

Post #: 4

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 5:05:49 AM

Redrunners

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From: Glastonbury, CT
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Sounds like a great adventure for you and your son/dil.

Best of luck and keep posting.

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 5:37:39 AM

J2K

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From: Pittsburgh, PA
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Fantastic. Good luck and keep posting.

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 5:47:20 AM

mtpisgah

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Joined: 6/7/2012
From: South Carolina
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That sounds like a fantastic adventure, please keep us updated.

Where in SC do you live?

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Paul

I read books to pass the time until the next bottle of wine.

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 7:32:36 AM

recotte

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Now THIS is a way to retire! Have fun, and good luck to you and your son! Looking forward to the updates.

And post pictures along the way!

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 8:37:19 AM

gilrbo

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From: Bern, Switzerland
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Wonderful! Best of luck, Gary!
I have seen the posts of your son Nicholas on WB, and have been following him since a while.
I will try to stop by in my next trip to Burgundy.
I already have some favorite producers in Savigny.

(in reply to recotte)

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 9:50:25 AM

Wine Gopher

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Joined: 3/12/2012
From: MN
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This sounds really awesome. I'm actually visiting Beaune for a few days during our honeymoon in August. Please keep posting or blogging for us to follow and maybe we'll try to make it that way with some of our unplanned time while we're in the neighborhood. Good luck and congratulations.

(in reply to gilrbo)

Post #: 10

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:34:23 AM

gharbour

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From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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Hi MtPisgh,

I live just off the 25 at the NC/SC border. My shopping is in Hendersonville, NC. Pisgah is a beautiful place, I love the Carolina Mountains, especially in the Fall.

Gary

< Message edited by gharbour -- 7/5/2013 12:40:58 AM >

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Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

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Post #: 11

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:35:55 AM

gharbour

Posts: 371
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From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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Hi Recotte,

I wanted to include a photo, and I tried the image button but could not make it work from there. How do you do that?

Thanks,
Gary

_____________________________

Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

(in reply to recotte)

Post #: 12

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:35:55 AM

SkeBum

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From: Tahoe City, CA
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Good for you and your son, sounds like an awesome thing to do. That is a BOLD plan him and his wife came up with. A saying my M.I.L uses comes to mind, "Life isn't a dress rehearsal." Keep us posted on the adventure, sounds amazing.

I would offer to come over and help rebuild the winery, but the only thing I excel at when it comes to building is the drinking at the end of the day, so I'm more trouble then I'm worth.

< Message edited by SkeBum -- 6/21/2013 11:43:04 AM >

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RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:38:19 AM

gharbour

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From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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Hi Gilrbo,

Thanks and we'll look forward to a tasting when you come through Beaune.

Gary

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Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

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Post #: 14

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:40:06 AM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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Congratulations to Wine Gopher and Mrs Wine Gopher! Stop by in August for a tour and tasting.

Best,
Gary

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Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

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Post #: 15

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:41:56 AM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
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SkeBum,

I hear you. The best tool in my toolbox is my credit card!

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Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

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Post #: 16

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 11:52:49 AM

recotte

Posts: 6870
Joined: 1/19/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: gharbour

Hi Recotte,

I wanted to include a photo, and I tried the image button but could not make it work from there. How do you do that?

Thanks,
Gary

Gary,

PM sent. Let me know if you need anything else!

Eric

_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

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Post #: 17

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 4:03:24 PM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
Status: offline

Recotte told me how to do photos, so I will try and see how it works.

Here is a photo of Nicholas (Michigan Tee Shirt in the back) and Colleen (Bottom Right) as they enlist the help of some friends to roll their first pressoir home to Maison Harbour, the new, old winery in the background. They pushed the press on the road from its previous owner in Chorey les Beaune all the way to Savigny les Beaune. The red wine press should handle a 15 hl fermenter (3-4 barrels).

[image]http://www.flickr.com/photos/97855161@N04/9104283392/in/photostream[/image]

You can see from the photo we will be very busy getting the cuverie ready for the 2013 vendange (harvest).

_____________________________

Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

(in reply to gharbour)

Post #: 18

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 6:17:22 PM

gharbour

Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010
From: Savigny les Beaune, France
Status: offline

S1 told me that CellarTracker Forums didn't work well with Flickr and suggested I try PhotoBucket. So here is a repost of the photo in PhotoBucket. I hope it works. Gary

Here is a photo of Nicholas (Michigan Tee Shirt in the back) and Colleen (Bottom Right - red scarf) as they enlist the help of some friends to roll their first pressoir home to Maison Harbour, the new, old winery in the background. They pushed the press on the road from its previous owner in Chorey les Beaune all the way to Savigny les Beaune. The red wine press should handle a 15 hl fermenter (3-4 barrels).

[image]http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/MaisonHarbour/media/GoliathMovesIn_zps5aa4cb36.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0[/image]

You can see from the photo we will be very busy getting the cuverie ready for the 2013 vendange (harvest).

_____________________________

Gary Harbour
Chez Nos Coeurs
Savigny les Beaune

(in reply to gharbour)

Post #: 19

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 6:54:24 PM

Posts: 14826
Joined: 11/12/2011
From: Wandering between Coastal SC and South FL
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when you copy the URL, use the "direct" link
Great photo!

_____________________________

Tous les chemins mènent à la Bourgogne!
"One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and -- one talks about it!" (in memory of drycab)

(in reply to gharbour)

Post #: 20

RE: Summer Adventure in Burgundy - 6/21/2013 8:24:57 PM

champagneinhand

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Joined: 5/30/2011
From: Upstate New York, California born.
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Okay!

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Post #: 21