2011 Armand Rousseau Mazis-Chambertin

Domaine Armand Rousseau is a 35-acre estate in Gevrey-Chambertin, in Burgundy. It was founded in the early 20th century by Armand Rousseau who inherited vineyards then added more vineyards through marriage. By the standards of the region, Domaine Rousseau was a pioneer in bottling its own wine. It was bottling under its own name in the 1920s and began exporting. Today the domaine is run by Armand’s son and grandson and exports nearly 80% of the 65,000 bottles a year produced. Grand Crus produced are Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Mazy-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de Roche. Several Premier Crus are also produced. Clive Coates calls the domaine’s wines “vigorous and very classy…Moreover, they are all quite distinctive, each an expression of its own terroir. This is superb winemaking…”

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.