Joseph Drouhin : Mazis-Chambertin Grand cru 2017

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2017 by Joseph Drouhin

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays an intense, deep red hue with ruby highlights, reflecting fine concentration and remarkable clarity.

Nose

Powerful, the nose reveals aromas of red and black fruits accompanied by notes of licorice. With aeration, mineral and spicy nuances gradually emerge.

Palate

On the palate, this grand cru charms with its assertive structure and silky tannins. The balance between fruit concentration, freshness and a velvety texture gives the wine remarkable harmony. The finish lingers at length with notes of fruit, licorice and minerality.

Food and wine pairings

This Mazis-Chambertin is an ideal match for red meats in sauce, roasted feathered game, as well as mushroom- and truffle-based dishes. Aged Burgundy cheeses also make a fine pairing.

Serving and cellaring

Mazis-Chambertin 2017 is best served at a temperature of 16°C. It is recommended to open it one to two hours before serving to allow its aromas to fully express themselves. This wine can be enjoyed now, but it will continue to evolve until around 2042, with cellaring potential of up to forty years under optimal conditions.

A Gevrey-Chambertin grand cru by Joseph Drouhin

The estate

Founded in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, the House of Joseph Drouhin is now run by the fourth generation of the family, represented by the four siblings Philippe, Véronique, Frédéric and Laurent Drouhin. The estate spans around 100 hectares of vineyards in Burgundy, 90% of which are classified as grand cru and premier cru. A pioneer in sustainable viticulture, the House has converted all of its vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming, establishing itself as one of Burgundy’s leading biodynamic producers. This terroir-respecting philosophy guides every decision, from vine to cellar.

The vineyard

Mazis-Chambertin is one of Gevrey-Chambertin’s nine grands crus, located in the Côte de Nuits. This vineyard of around 9 hectares benefits from an east-facing exposure on a hillside, enabling optimal grape ripening. The soils are composed of a blend of brown clay, limestone and rocky fragments, with variations between the top and bottom of the plot. This distinctive geology, inherited from Jurassic marine deposits, lends the wine its hallmark minerality and distinctive aromatic complexity.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a cold winter followed by late spring frosts. Despite these initial challenges, flowering took place under good conditions. Summer saw periods of drought that required careful vineyard management. Harvesting began in early September under favorable conditions, making it possible to pick healthy, ripe grapes. The 2017 vintage produces elegant wines, with beautiful transparency and a true expression of terroir, offering excellent aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The Mazis-Chambertin 2017 grapes were hand-harvested into ventilated crates and then carefully sorted. After complete destemming, the whole berries were transferred to tank by gravity. Fermentation was carried out with indigenous yeasts over a period of two to three weeks, with daily punch-downs at the start of fermentation, followed by pump-overs until the end of the process. Aging took place for sixteen to twenty months in high-forest French oak barrels, 30% new oak. The wine was lightly filtered before bottling in May 2019.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir