Wine Review: 2003 Harmand-Geoffroy Mazis-Chambertin

Wine Review: 2003 Harmand-Geoffroy Mazis-Chamertin

By Codey Foster

Sometimes I find that the hardest wines to write about are the ones that I have the most mixed feelings about. The 2003 Harmand-Geoffroy Mazis-Chambertin is one of those wines. I guess with a complex bottling like this it’s easy to find entities in the wine that are quite stunning and others that leave you disappointed. That’s the reality of what we call “complexity” I guess—its elements can be both favorable or unfavorable. Although, in this particular wine I didn’t find any flavor components unfavorable, but a little disappointing perhaps.

Secondly, I’d like to stipulate that, in regards to my own personal taste, I find more and more that there are distinct lines between ‘what I like’, ‘what I think is good/well made’, and ‘what makes me think’. And although wines often span the gaps and overlap the space between these three realms—more often than not I’d prefer to drink a wine that makes me think even if I don’t consider it a great wine. A great Burgundy winemaker who’s name escapes me right now once said that while one of his Morey Grand Crus (I want to say it was Clos de la Roche) is constantly igniting animate conversation, a second Grand Cru (Bonnes-Mares, perhaps?) more often brings fourth silence of respectful admiration. Well in this scenario, I’d rather be drinking the Roche.

That said, I’m not sure where this Grand Cru fits in on my personal preference tasting structure, but I have no doubt that it has made me think. 

Before I begin to describe what it tasted like, as I realize is the purpose of this exercise, I just wanted to take note of the nature of Mazis itself. Mazis actually sits just above Clos de Beze (which sits just above Chambertin) on the west side of the RN74. Its wines are generally quite masculine, show quite deep color, and often come up to par with the Clos de Beze. Its wines are generally known to show more black fruit than red and can often develop for up to a couple of decades in the bottle. Harmand-Geoffroy in fact owns more Mazis than any other producer besides Faiveley. 2003 was an especially fine vintage in the Cote de Nuits—showing especially ripe fruit and spectacular concentration.

This particular version of Mazis is showing very developed, and with its brilliant secondary aromas, I think some of the fruit just got up and left. I guess drinking this bottle really made some of my own commentary from “The Romance of Old Wine” fully resonate with me. And although I’d classify this bottle more on the late end of the ‘of age’ drinking spectrum, it was absolutely apparent that some of its primary flavor components had been traded for secondary aromas—a compromise I’m not always willing to make.

In the glass, this Mazis is a deep, concentrated red with some browns filling in at its center and moderate bricking at the perimeter.

On the nose it shows off what I would dare to call well played brettanomyces--a little bit of a Band-Aidy funk that can sometimes be an outright turn off but with good integration can prove to be seductive and complex, as it does in this wine. Along side the brett comes sweet concentrated and almost syrupy aromas of maraschino cherry and subtle sweet spice. Licorice, plumbs, and black cherry fruit make an entrance, almost as an after thought, but I must stress that fruit profile has really taken a backseat in this winemaking effort and it is really developed funk and earth that takes the limelight.

It’s on the palate that this Burgundy shows Grand Cru character bringing fourth fine, fine layers of tannin and an evident structure for at least several more years in the cellar. And while the fruit is unctuous and concentrated, it is again, more reserved and contained than I hoped for it to be at this period of time. Sometimes the fruit felt a little absent on the back palate—which gives me some indication that this particular wine isn’t showing full Mazis potential. Despite its hollow spots, I still find this wine charming. I really like it, just not in the same way that I appreciate great Burgundy or Mazis-Chambertin for that matter.

Not a complete slam-dunk but an experience for sure—definitely worth the trip for any dedicated Burgundy drinker. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, if that’s any indication to this wine’s depth.

We’ve got it out for 80.

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