Description

Heresztyn-Mazzini Clos Village is a tiny plot. It is only 0.2 hectare in total. It was a park but in 1960 Pinot Noir took over the space. Good thing too, because this is a delicious wine. Savoury, damp earth, purple berries, olives, mineral/dark stones, spice. The palate is stoney spicy, mineral, floral, long-finishing with a hint of bitterness and fine tannins. The peacocks tail of flavour is distinctly lavender-like. The wine is on the cusp of being amazing. Right now, it needs a lot of air. Or give it another 5-10 years in the bottle.

Florence and Simon started Heresztyn-Mazzini with the first vintage in 2012. This is after ten years spent working on the family vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin. Heresztyn-Mazzini covers 5.5 hectares in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, and Chambolle-Musigny. Farming embraces Organic and Biodynamic practices. Whole bunch fermentation varies to give structure to the wine and take the edge off its astringency. The wines mature for 12 to 16 months in barrel. Estate bottling follows the lunar calendar.

Heresztyn-Mazzini Clos Village Gevrey-Chambertin 2014 Review

“Touches of wood toast and menthol sit atop the cool red berry fruit and earth aromas. Like the Chambolle the mouth feel of the round and seductively textured medium weight flavors is quite fine, all wrapped in a caressing and forward finish. This charming effort should drink well almost immediately if desired.” -Allen Meadows

Burgundy

The classic part of Burgundy known as the Cote D’Or (the slope of gold) is essentially one vineyard. 60km long and maybe 5km at its widest. From this limestone ridge, some of the most complex, long-lived and aromatic wines grow. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the two main varieties. But a handful of sneaky mutations live there too. The Cistercian monks who owned the land codified the entire region and so each small plot has a name.

Gevrey-Chambertin

The prestigious appellation. Known for classy, powerful, structured wines with a mineral and dark fruited edge. Not as supple as Vosne but equally age-worthy.

Pinot Noir

This is the most elusive grape. It is relatively early ripening and extremely sensitive to terroir. Its perfect place on earth is the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. So haunting are great red Burgundy’s charms that growers everywhere try to emulate them. Pinot Noir is not just a one-trick pony. Apart from the best reds in the world, you can find world-class Pinot Noir rosé, sparkling. You can even find sweet wines, whites on occasion and I’ve tasted a decent fortified Pinot Noir too.

2014

The conditions were challenging. But in the Cotes du Nuits 2014 offers elegantly styled reds full of charm and flesh. They are built for the cellar. Cotes du Beaune reds can be a bit hit and miss. The whites are ripe, juicy, and easy drinking.