2018 Mazoyeres Chambertin

The 2018 Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from two parcels of 45- and 80-year-old vines on much stonier soils than the Charmes-Chambertin. This has a knockout nose of brambly black fruit, cassis and crushed stone aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry and very precise and focused, with great tension toward the shimmering vintage. This is definitely one of the best Mazoyères-Chambertins I have tasted in over ten years of coming to this domaine.

The 2018 Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru lives up to its superb showing from barrel, unwinding in the glass with aromas of blackberries, wild plums, rose petals, spices and loamy soil. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's elegantly muscular, with a concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a broad framing of rich, powdery tannins. While this is built for the long haul, it's much less forbiddingly structured than was once the case for this cuvée.