Knowing that no more than four barrels’ worth of today’s Grand Cru bottling made it to the US makes the opportunity to offer it twice in one year all the more thrilling. For the uninitiated: Whenever a meager allocation of Harmand-Geoffroy’s sublimely muscular, dark-fruited Mazis-Chambertin slips our way, we pounce, because it never fails to be among the standouts of blue-chip Burgundy.
This family has always bottled elite-quality wines, but since Philippe Harmand assumed a commanding role at his family’s estate in 2009, they have become ever-more expressive, powerful, and vivid. All that was proven without a shred of doubt in the legendary 2015 vintage, a year that produced a lineup of wines that Harmand’s importer claimed were “...undoubtedly the greatest we have ever had the pleasure of purchasing from the domaine.” By extension, this 2015 is the greatest we’ve tasted! While we usually only get one shot each year to offer the top wine from Harmand-Geoffroy—rising fame has made it exponentially harder—our close ties with the importer gave us a second, albeit much more limited, opportunity. When it comes to Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin we believe this is as good as it gets, so whether you’re experiencing it for the first time or reloading your cellar, don’t miss out!
If you wish to lose yourself in a deep, truly soulful bottle and be reminded of why Gevrey-Chambertin is one of the top Pinot Noir-producing villages on earth, Harmand-Geoffroy is a sure thing. Gérard and Martine Harmand and their son, Philippe, farm a mere nine hectares of vines divided across almost 30 small parcels in Gevrey. From this, Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy produces 10 separate single-vineyard bottlings each year in the village of Gevrey, but today’s Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru is the family’s crème de la crème.
The polish and energy of this 2015 proves without question that the Grand Crus of Côte de Nuits deserve their long-time undisputed standing as the finest Pinot Noir vineyards in the world. Grape clusters come exclusively from the family’s .75-hectare parcel in Mazis Chambertin—one of the single most important vineyards in all of Burgundy—and were hand-harvested and de-stemmed in early September before three weeks of fermentation. Due to intense heat and drought, skins were much thicker in 2015 so to curtail intense tannins, maceration times were closely monitored. His diligence and prowess paid off, resulting in a supremely rich, fresh, and structured Pinot Noir. The wine was racked into mostly new (~90%) French oak barrels, where it rested for a year and a half prior to bottling without fining or filtration.
The power and glorious terroir-imprint that comes from the family of Chambertin Grand Crus is a spectacle to behold, but few producers do it with such mouth-coating succulence and luxury. Rich kirsch, currants, and luscious plums are chiseled right into a crushed limestone-marl core and with further studying, more savory details start emerging like raw leather cocoa beans, truffle, rose petals, underbrush. By harvesting a bit earlier and closely monitoring the wine’s extraction, Harmand’s generous use of new oak is a beautiful addition to a powerful wine: Lush black and red cherries and sappy forest fruit roar into a full-bodied, spice-tinged palate that prickles with mineral savor. It’s powerful and refined all at once. As with all elite Grand Cru Burgundies, this bottle deserves considerable time in the cellar before the cork is pulled, but if you were ever to open a vintage in its youth without sacrificing the striking qualities of this Grand Cru, it would be 2015. If doing so, decant for at least three hours, serve in your largest Burgundy stems, and do try and save a glass for the following days. If you burn a bottle and have two more to spare, open one in 2030 and the next in 2040. I guarantee that it will evolve into an extraordinary Grand Cru Burgundy—that’s when the real magic of Mazis-Chambertin comes out. Enjoy alongside a succulent duck preparation, and check out the following recipe for an old-school treat. Cheers!
