Mazis-Chambertin is a terroir with several interesting features – one being that Hospice de Beaune has a large plot on this vineyard – the other being that some of the old Gevrey estates have a plot with old massale selection pinot in this vineyard.
One of the most prominent massale selections is the Maume selection, and this was and still is used to plant on the Maume Mazis Chambertin ….
Lets go to the Maume plot on Mazis … now owned by Domaine Marchand-Tawse.
In the core and below Ruchottes
Mazis Chambertin is located just north of Chambertin Clos de Bèze and just below Ruchottes-Chambertin. As with Ruchottes-Chambertin the Mazis vineyard is divided in a upper and lower part – Les Mazis Hauts and Les Mazis Bas.
Geologically wise this is an exciting area as there is more limestone in the section with Ruchotte and below.
The Mazis – geology
Looking at the geological maps made by Françoise Vannier it’s seen that the geological conditions of Mazis-Chambertin are different from those of the neighbouring Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Chambertin and Latricieres-Chambertin – and interestingly, it seems like the southern part of Mazis is located just in the area where there are some major geological faults and fractures.
Map by Françoise Vannier for Syndicat Viticole Gevrey Chambertin
The Marchand cuvée comes from three plots in the Mazis Bas. The plots were primarily planted with the Maume massale “clone” and Marchand-Tawse are currently replanting with new vines of the Maume massale to maintain the unique profile of these plots. A very interesting plot indeed …
Mazis-Chambertin is sort of the odd one out amongst the Gevrey Grand Crus, with a relatively complex, spicy and somewhat dark fruit, and often not as extroverted and generous as the somewhat flashy and opulently fruity Charmes-Chambertin.
The vineyard combination of Chames-Chambertin and Mazis-Chambertin is very common in the village of Gevrey, and while the Mazis-Chambertin often comes across as the bigger wine, they rarely resolve and unfold in full beauty. It seems.
The Marchand-Tawse cuvée is, however, different with the influence of the Maume massale selection – also used in Lavaux Saint-Jacques.
Marchand-Tawse – a bit of background
Pascal Marchand is from Canada, but has made wines in Burgundy for more than 30 years. He founded the Marchand-Tawse estate in 2009, and the project gained momentum when Moray Tawse and his friend John Harris, both (like Pascal) from Canada, joined as financial backers and wine friends.
Marchand-Tawse is my neighbour in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and I have seen from my window that the quality improves year by year … and a wine like the Mazis-Chambertin is now a top-end Gevrey Grand Cru – and in my view, even surpassing some of the very well-known producers of this Grand Cru … definitely one of the best Mazis produced in my view.
Pascal works with Mark Fincham, who is responsible for the winemaking of the Maume cuvées, and he has taken these Maume-based cuvées to a new level over the last 5 to 7 years. These are serious but playful wines, expressing the old Maume selection massale variant.
The Mazis
The Mazis-Chambertin is one of the very top wines of Marchand-Tawse bottlings, together with the very costly Musigny and the Mazoyères-Chambertin … another delightful Maume cuvée located in the south of Gevrey.
The Mazis-Chambertin was acquired with Domaine Maume in 2012, and the first full vintage of the Mazis was done in 2012 (no longer in the cellar at Machand-Tawse) …
The Maune estate was acquired when Moray Tawse joined Pascal Marchand in 2012 to ensure the financial background to buy the fine Maume estate.
The Marchand-Tawse plots of Mazis-Chambertin
Marchand-Tawse has three plots located in the bottom part of Mazis (Bas). The plots are no42, no46 and no50. The total area is 0.6727 ha.
The plots are partly planted with the Maume massale selection, and replanting is done with this massale selection produced for Marchand-Tawse.
Marchand-Tawse Mazis-Chambertin – the wine
Marchand Tawse Mazis-Chambertin 2019
It is a masterpiece and really unfolds the refinement of the vineyard and the vintage. 2019 has it all … and the Maume massale is really starting to shine with this slightly orange note of mulberries that can unfold in these massale cuvées. Great balance and a delightful vin d’émotion … 2019 is, in the end, the winner of this tasting due to its effortless display of complexity … it just shows beautifully and you have a sense that it will display further layers as it unfolds in your glass. Brilliant!
(Drink from 2035) – Outstanding – (96p) – 
See all the notes from the Mazis tasting at Marchand-Tawse
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- A truly hedonistic wine – lively and enjoyable
- A vivacious wine for pure indulgance
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger