© BIVB/Gadenne D.
Mazis-Chambertin is the northernmost grand cru vineyard on the Cote de Nuits in Burgundy. It covers 9.5 hectares (23 acres) of land on the upper slopes of Gevrey-Chambertin's grand cru belt, and is planted entirely to Pinot Noir. Mazis-Chambertin wines are structured and rich, and the best examples closely resemble the wines of the neighboring Clos-de-Beze climat.
The vineyard is divided into upper (Mazis-Haut) and lower (Mazis-Bas) sections, divided by a lane that connects the southwestern corner of Gevrey-Chambertin village with the D122 road, the Rue de Chambertin. Mazis-Chambertin is on the same part of the slope as the prestigious Chambertin vineyard and, under Napoleonic law, was able to add the famous name as a suffix in the 19th Century. All of Gevrey-Chambertin's eight grand cru sites were classified as such in 1937.
Mazis-Chambertin has shallow, chalky soils that are excellent for the production of high-quality wine. The higher end of the slope has particularly thin limestone soils (which continue on the Ruchottes-Chambertin site above). Water drains freely from the soils, which helps to discourage vigor and forces the vine's energy into grape production. The continental climate and southeasterly aspect help the grapes to achieve full ripeness while retaining all-important acidity.
