Ooh – here’s a forward nose – lots of volume – with plenty of herb in a large expanse of complexity. Cushioned depth to the palate, considerable concentration, still a grain of tannin. Layered, intense, with waves of flavour, faintly bitter and saline. Never a sweet wine, never a comforting wine – but frankly who cares, this is really super, indeed invigorating stuff.
Maume
2002 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus colour – some purple reflections. Despite the description of the oak regime here, this starts deep and toasty. A swirl releases dark-skinned fruit and over time it transforms to a more floral and spicy effect. The texture is rather good with some fat and plenty of well-covered and well-mannered tannin. There’s a burst of interest in the mid-palate helped by the acidity. Finally there’s the nice finish. Not a blockbuster, but nice fruit.
2001 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
A shade lighter in colour and more of a ruby-colour. No toast aromas this time, but a wide profile of red and black fruits that are shaded more to the red versus the 2002. The fruit and tannins are a little less ripe than the 02, in particular the tannins – but they are far from green astringency! The fruit flavour is more obvious in the mid-palate and finish when contrasted to the 2002. Nice, but don’t pair it with a much riper wine.
1997 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Medium ruby-red colour with some amber at the rim. The nose is wide and a little spicy and gamey with an undertow of spiced plummy red fruit. The palate is quite silky with plenty of of width and still some relatively silky tannin. The acidity is not absolutely seamless, but the wine has a good character.
1995 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour right to the rim. The nose is a really interesting and characterful mix of chalk and chocolate, wide dark fruit and fainter floral elements – super. Smooth and rather linear in the mouth, but you are borne the dark-fruit finish on fine acidity. It lingers very well but the interest is today only on the nose and finish – maybe a few years will pad-out the palate too.
1994 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
1993 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Deeply coloured. Mineral, crystallised dark fruit on the nose. Very fine texture, minerality and lovely acidity – the length is a match too. It’s tight and muscled and I reckon needs 5-8 years more in the cellar. I was smitten for the first 30 minutes, afterwards the nose was occasionally a little pruney – I ended up undecided.
1991 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Medium-plus colour. The nose is wide, mineral and earth inflected with a fainter undertow of fruit. Flavour-packed and exciting, super Mazis character and energy – the most impressive wine in this respect – so it’s a shame it’s not a little longer, though the fine acidity leaves your mouth watering for more.
1989 Maume Mazis-Chambertin
Medium, medium-plus colour. High tones over a creamy base – slowly evolves cream before finally a little ripe fruit peaks through. A quiet entry builds in the mouth. Round and with (for the first time) creamy fruit. This has super length and still some tannin to resolve – a little plump, but excellent.