Terroir Insight: Domaine Georges-Roumier, Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Mazoyères”

Domaine Georges Roumier, Charmes-Chambertin … nothing is ever simple in Burgundy – and writing about this wine does involve a bit of good Bourgundian name complexity.

This wine is sold under two labels – Christophe Roumier, Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Mazoyères” and Jean-Pierre Mathieu Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Mazoyères”.

The plot is owned by Jean-Pierre Mathieu, and Christophe Roumier of Domaine Georges Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny entered into a metayage agreement with the Mathieu family in 1984 renting a plot in the Mazoyères part of Charmes-Chambertin.

A part of the harvest is sold under the Christophe Roumier label, and a part under the Jean-Pierre Mathieu label – although the wines are identical and made at Domaine Georges Roumier.

This arrangement is also used for the Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin – where the Roumier part is sold under the name Christophe Roumier, and the other part is sold under the name of Michel Bonnefond – the owner of the Roumier plot on Ruchottes-Chambertin.

With this in place – lets take a closer look at the Roumier Mazoyères-Chambertin – that is sold under the Charmes-Chambertin label …

Charmes-Chambertin and Mazoyéres-Chambertin

Lets start with the fundamentals: Charmes-Chambertin include two main sections, one called Aux Charmes (12.24 ha), located below Chambertin and the Route des Grands Crus and south of Griottes-Chambertin.

The other part Mazoyères ou Charmes (18.59 ha) – located south of Aux Charmes and below Latricieres Chambertin and Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes. The Mazoyères section stretches from Route des Grands Crus and in some places all the way down to RN974. The wines from the Mazoyères section can be sold as both Mazoyères-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin.