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Bonjour de la renaissance continuée d’un domaine bien historique,
The name Maume stirs up many associations with longtime Burgundy lovers, a favorite traditionalist house with outstanding old vine holdings throughout Gevrey Chambertin at all levels: terrific and singular villages levels parcels, as-good-as-it-gets Mazis Chambertin, Mazoyeres Chambertin, 1er cru Champeaux and Lavaut St Jacques, as well as a terrific and overachieving value fiend favorite Bourgogne rouge. Whereas the highs could be very very high offering classic and ageworthy renditions, the inconsistency and lows could be quite frustrating as well. When Pascal Marchand and Murray Tawse purchased this deeply historical estate a few years ago, the jury was out as to exactly how this change in management would steer such cherished raw materials. Now, just a few years into the instensive TLBC (tender loving biodynamic care) of team Marchand, with cellar master Mark Fincham the dutiful guardian/chef in the kitchen, I can say that the results are beyond impressive, the clarity of each and every cuvée only improving with the passage of time. For any fan of the Maume estate and its holdings, it is a cause for celebration!!!
2014 is the third vintage that Mark has vinified as he continues to comfortably settle in at the helm. His know how and conviction of how to give the vines and the wines what they need to shine at their best is only becoming more fine tuned and insightful, palpably sensible as we tasted through the lineup in cask in November '15. I was shocked to attention by the Bourgogne rouge, immediately reserving ten cases as its sappiness, purity, and complexity is an ideal candidate for the value hunting Burgundy lover. As we progressed through the lineup, I was all smiles, the collection clearly presenting itself as the most complete and harmonious of the first three vintages under his watch. It is important to point out that there is a distinctly different house style here than at Maison Marchand-Tawse, with a more classical linear structure, not as creamy-infusion driven. It is evident that Mark is holding the reins, Pascal consulting at this point more like a CEO. Mark has earned authorship of this cellar, and from what I can sense, is more than rising to the occasion…
What follows is a comprehensive offering of the 2014 cellar, at what will surely be the best prices seen stateside if not the world. As you may have heard in other talk of the 2014 vintage, the wines are classical in their midweight freshness and transparency to site, with a suavity of texture and overall sense of harmony that will give pleasure both young and old. I’ve included some impressions from Allan Meadows, Steve Tanzer, and yours truly.
LE MENU
Bourgogne rouge $ 120 bottles available - Roughly 200 cases from the lieu dit Vignes Blanches. This one had me ringing the bell fast. It is rare that I on the spot request 100+ bottles of a wine, but the loveliness and substance of this wine struck an instinctive nerve. If you want a complete expression of Gevrey Chambertin in its sappy deep red fruited intensity with a lightness of touch and appetizing mineral streak, this is a candidate for house red Burgundy extraordinaire. This cuvée has always had a certain loyalist cheapskate following; now in Mark’s hands after a few years, all that I can say is BRAVO and GET SOME. This joins the ranks of exceptional single village Bourgogne rouge wines that I covet so highly, and will remain there for a long time, I am sure…
“Reduction and discreet wood notes presently render the nose unreadable. Otherwise there is excellent intensity and lovely detail to the succulent middle weight flavors that possess very good depth and length in the context of what is typical for the genre. (86-89)/2018+” Allan Meadows
“I also liked the Bourgogne Vigne Blanche, which offered an attractive blend of sappy raspberry fruit, salinity and fresh acidity.” - Steve Tanzer (for some reason he NEVER scores Bourgogne level wines. Curious, but that’s how it is…)
Gevrey Chambertin villages $ - An 8 parcel blend, no single facet stood out other than what my simple note implies: “Delicious. Super harmonious, with a nice mineral kiss.” Seems like Allan and Steve are on a similar page…for the money, a great buy.
"(from a combination of Murots, Etelois, Combes, Grandes Rayes and La Justice). Here too reduction and slightly more evident wood overshadow the underlying fruit. I like the solid definition of the delicious and vibrant medium weight flavors that exude subtle minerality on the mildly austere and rustic finale. (87-90)/2021+ Allan Meadows
“(racked a week before my November visit, then returned to barrel; the rest of the wines I tasted had not yet been racked; 20% new oak): Bright medium red. Lovely perfume of cherry and rose petal, plus a hint of game. At once sweet and savory, with the red fruit flavors complicated by meaty and mineral nuances and framed by slightly edgy acidity. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and good saline length. (I also liked the Bourgogne Vigne Blanche, which offered an attractive blend of sappy raspberry fruit, salinity and fresh acidity. )” 87-89 Steve Tanzer
Gevrey Chambertin villages En Pallud $ - From a .60 hectare nugget in the very clay rich single parcel En Pallud that sits below the 1er cru Corbeaux, this is a marked step up in meatiness and density, with more savory earthiness. This is the only single lieu dit bottling of this vineyard made at any address, apparently. Quite complete and complex for the money.
“Here the expressive nose is compositionally similar to that of the Etelois but with a bit more earth and sauvage character in evidence. The fresh, cool and intense flavors possess a sleek, detailed and punchy mouth feel while delivering very good power if not quite the overall refinement on the firm and youthfully austere finish. Still this is quite good too. (88-91)/2022+” Allan Meadows
“(22% new oak): Bright red. Enticing mineral lift to the aromas of raspberry and crushed rock. Dense, sappy and sweet, offering a fine-grained texture and an attractive balance of red fruits and salinity. The vibrant finish features a broad dusting of tannins and lovely perfumed length. I like the gentle extraction here.” 89-91 points Steve Tanzer
Gevrey Chambertin villages Aux Etelois $ - From 70 year old vines sitting just below the Griotte Chambertin Grand cru, this is a a delight. Made with 25% whole clusters, it is much more delicate and spicy aromatically than the earthier En Pallud, with a sense of substance and harmony that is plain lovely sauce. Bravo.!
“A distinctly earth-inflected nose reflects notes of red currant, dark berries and a hint of sauvage character. This is notably more concentrated with the same excellent sense of tension adding a sense of lift to the medium-bodied flavors that possess better depth and length on the firm but not hard finale. Recommended. (89-91)/2022+” Allan Meadows
Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru $ - A blend of Cherbaudes 1er, the young vines of the Grand crus, and a few small nuggets of other 1er crus, this is cuvée that impressed me once again with its sense of balance and drive, all things present, none dominant. With roughly 25% whole clusters. So pretty and powerful at the same time.
“(a blend of Cherbaudes and young vines in Mazis-Chambertin plus a few other 1ers). A more deeply pitched nose offers up ripe and fresh aromas of plum, violet, blue pinot fruit and plenty of earth. The supple and round middle weight flavors possess good intensity and minerality on the delicious and markedly firm finish. This isn’t super dense but I like the delivery and the balance. (90-92)/2024+” Allan Meadows
Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru Champeaux $ - WOW. This one shocked me to attention with its floral and mineral intensity aromatically. The Maume parcel is right up against the forest, a cool local that gives it its fresh bright nature. It is always the last parcel picked. This is rockin’ good, got a little *. Get some.
"Once again there is enough reduction present to dominate the underlying fruit. By contrast there is excellent freshness and terrific punch to the beautifully well-delineated medium weight flavors that are also more refined before terminating in a dusty, complex and once again impeccably well-balanced finish. Lovely stuff and this is textbook Champeaux. (91-93)/2026+ " Allan Meadows
“(50% new oak): Healthy bright red color. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry, rose petal and smoked meat, plus a hint of musky reduction. Silky-sweet and alive on the palate, showing a fine-grained texture and serious concentration to its red berry and floral flavors. Just a touch of salinity here to add interest. Spreads out insidiously to saturate the palate, finishing with suave tannins and noteworthy energy. The crop level here was about 32 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marchand.” 90-93 points Steve Tanzer
Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru Lavaux St Jacques $ 75 cases made- The Maume parcel, planted to the Pinot Tordu clone, runs top to bottom (rockier to more soil rich), roughly in the center of the cru, neighboring Denis Mortet. This one suits my high toned rockhead preferences to a T. First impression: “WOW”. With a tightly coiled mineral core married to delicious and pure sappy light black fruits and savory meatiness, this one is packed and stacked, classic Lavaux St Jacques, as good as it gets to me. The airy, rising, mineral finish is awesome. This one got a few little **. I only wish I got more.
“(30% new oak; from 55-year-old vines that produced 28 hectoliters per hectare):Brilliant dark red. Wilder on the nose than the Champeaux, offering scents of blueberry and smoked meat. Sweet on entry, then quite tight in the middle, with a firm spine of acidity framing the youthful flavors of black fruits and mint. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with little in the way of easy sweetness. Conveys an impression of incipient complexity but this wine will need patience.” 91-93 points Steve Tanzer
"The three barrels of 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques had been racked a couple of days before my visit. It has a lovely perfume on the nose, very floral with touches of vanilla, which I hope will be retained once in bottle. The palate is supple in the mouth, quite minerally and harmonious, cool and refined with fine salinity on the finish. This might turn out to be a great Lavaux Saint-Jacques, though I suspect it will need time. " 91-93 points Neil Martin
Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand cru $ 50 cases made - WOW. Another register of deeper, broader fruit tone, with a breadth and harmony that scream CLASS. A monkey could tell you that we’ve now arrived to the Grand crus…this is some impressive, sexy time stuff.
"The 2014 Mazoyères Chambertin Grand Cru, which Bertrand Maume labelled as “Charmes-Chambertin,” comes from two very small parcels that yields just two barrels and is totally destemmed. It has an elegant bouquet in the making with a touch of crushed rose petals infiltrating the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a grainy texture, good backbone here with a strict and linear finish that offers a dash of spice on the aftertaste. This is a very come-hither Mazoyères-Chambertin, very enticing. " 93-95 points Neil Martin
“A discreet hint of wood easily allows the attractively fresh and even more sauvage infused aromas of earth, humus, underbrush, forest floor and wild dark berry fruit scents to be appreciated. There is excellent size, weight and once again focused power to the big-bodied flavors that are exceptionally backward, indeed even brooding on the muscular and impressively long finish. Patience will be an absolute requisite. (91-94)/2029+” Allan Meadows
Mazis Chambertin Grand cru $- BOOM. This is the flagship of the house, and it is thunderously evident why. At once quite dense in light black fruits and explosive with palate staining mineral grip and power, this screams Grand cru power, complexity, harmony, and weightless length. Always a tremendously long lived wine, this is a classic that will go the distance. BRAVO MARK!!
“Bright, dark red. Captivating wild bouquet of raspberry, strawberry, smoked meat, crushed stone and underbrush encompasses most of the major Gevrey food groups. Dense and thick but also very fine-grained, with almost painful minerality energizing the middle palate. Most impressive today on the superb rising finish, which features tongue-dusting but noble tannins and repeating crushed-stone minerality. Compellingly sappy, powerful Mazis with real class.” 93-95 Steve Tanzer
“Strong reduction blocks an evaluation of the nose. There is first-rate intensity to the punchy and mineral-driven broad-shouldered flavors that possess excellent power on the equally focused, balanced, firm, highly persistent and youthfully austere finish. Like the Gevrey 1er this is not super dense but even so it is very well balanced. That said, note well that plenty of time will be required before this reaches its full apogee. (92-94)/2029+” Allan Meadows
LES VOILA
I am thrilled to see the continued qualitative strides achieved by Mark and Team Tawse, each year of know how and vineyard health helping illuminate exactly why the Maume holdings are so distinct and prized. If ever there was a question about whether or not the new regime would “mess up” what people loved about Maume, it is resoundingly evident that they are bringing out the best with an evenness across the range and purity that was anything but that under the Maumes. For fans of the Estate, as well as those who are fans of classical styled Burgundy in general, this is the real deal.
The wines are offered during a one week presell, after which pricing will rise 10-15%. Requests will be taken during this time, with allocations being carved up as needed after the presell period, favor falling to balanced requests. That being said, give me your wishlists, and I will do my best to make everyone happy…I will look to bring the wines over the pond post harvest '16.
Upon confirmation, payment due in full via check/“friends and family” Paypal/CC+%.
As always, with any questions or interests: rob@downtoearthwines.net
CHEERS TO MARK AND THE NEW VOICE OF DOMAINE MAUME, MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!!