2003 Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Mazis-Chambertin

Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parziot is a 75-acre estate with vineyards in the Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune and Chablis. Philippe Charlopin-Parziot inherited 5 acres from his father in 1976 and has been adding to his domaine ever since. He owns Grand Cru parcles in Corton Charlemagne, Chambertin, Charmes Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, Clos Vougeot, Clos St. Denis, Bonnes Mares and Echezeaux. The domaine also has some Premier Crus and numerous village wines.

Mazis-Chambertin is a 22.4 acre Grand Cru vineyard near the village of Gevrey-Chambertin. The name Mazis is sometimes spelled with a “y” or without the final “s.” The soil is shallow and somewhat rocky, and the wine made from this vineyard is considered excellent. The legendary Lalou Bize of Maison Leroy is one of the smaller landholders with about .6 of an acre. There are some 30 proprietors with parcels in Mazis-Chambertin. The largest are Hospices de Beaune, with 4.38 acres; Bernard Dugat-Py, with 3.05 acres; and Joseph Faiveley, with 3 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.