2018 Ecard Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 'Les Serpentieres' Vieilles Vignes

There are few other Burgundy villages that consistently offer such quality for-value as does Savigny-lès-Beaune, and few winemakers in this village that deliver such quality each and every vintage as does Michel Ecard. His low-sulfur, balanced wines are not only deliciously complex but also age beautifully, a rare trait for Burgundy so reasonably priced. Michel learned the trade by working with his father, Maurice Ecard, a highly respected artisan in Savigny who has since retired. Michel founded his Domaine in 2005, and it is very much a micro-operation, with Michel in the cellar and vineyards taking care of his grapes, from field to bottle.

What strikes you when you first experience Burgundy from Michel Ecard is the undeniable sensation that this is the sort of Burgundian Pinot Noir for which you’ve been searching all along. This grower’s wines are upfront and honest, captivating and convincing—truly how handmade, small-batch Burgundy should be.

Facing full south, ‘Serpentières’ is one of Savigny’s most-prized premier cru vineyards. Soils combine gravel with iron-rich marl and some clay. Vines were planted in the 1930s. Hand-harvested. Destemmed; fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled tanks. Pressed in an upright, hand-cranked press. Aged in French oak barrels, with 30-50% new oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.