Mazis-Chambertin
Grand Cru 2017
The name has prestigious overtones; the location is one of the noblest imaginable. The very least one can say is that Gevrey-Chambertin is where the Grands Crus of the Burgundy Côte really begin …
Origin
Gevrey-Chambertin is a large village located at the northern extremity of the Côte de Nuits. It boasts one of the largest surface areas under vine with no less than 330 hectares under production. There are no fewer than 55 different parcels here. The Grand Cru terroirs begin south of the village where the eastern exposure is ideal, allowing the vines to benefit from the rising sun.
Mazis-Chambertin has a total area of 9.10 ha. The plot, all in length, is made up of different terroirs with shallow soil on the top and a denser clay layer on the bottom, which gives wines that rival Chambertin.
"Mazis" is reminiscent of the existence of a hamlet that disappeared in the Middle Ages. "Mazis" is the plural of ancient French Masel or Masil "house in the country".
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: brown, limestone with entroques, very thin.
Orientation: East
Surface area under vine: 0.1085 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 21 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 41 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 15 September 2017.
The grapes were handpicked. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and a second time on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: the grapes were 100% destemmed but not crushed (they were left whole) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration lasted a total of 21 days including 4 days of cold maceration (12°C). Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). 5 punchings of the cap.
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 18 months with no racking using 100% of new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a very delicate touch of oak to the wine.
Bottling
Bottling: The wine was very gently filtered before being bottled in May 2019.
Number of bottles: 303.
Vintage
2017, finesse
The growing cycle was thrown off-kilter by a very cold winter, late spring frost, then optimal conditions for rapid flowering, sporadic hail, and summer drought. Harvesting began in early September in the sun, and after several lean years, the vines finally produced abundant grapes, although with significant differences in maturity between whites and reds and from one region to another, which called for strict sorting.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Tasting notes
Ruby and limpid in color, the nose reveals aromas of strawberry jam and black fruits with some hints of liquorice and vanilla. Lots of finesse on the palate, the tannins are very silky. A wine of elegance!
