2016 Taupenot-Merme Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru

Taupenot Merme

France / Burgundy / Taupenot Merme

The family owns 0.85Ha spread of the grand cru, spread over two plots planted in 1958 and 1959.

October, 2019

Neal Martin

Vinous Media

95 points

The 2016 Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru has an open and accessible bouquet with hints of Vervane tea infusing the crystalline red fruit, becoming earthier with time, manifesting more and more complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, saline and grippy as you want from this Grand Cru with a compact and saline finish. It needs to coalesce, but that will come with bottle age. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

December, 2017

Neal Martin

Wine Advocate

93-95 points

The 2016 Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru has more sophisticated and mineral-driven bouquet than the Charmes-Chambertin, with a mixture of red and black fruit, damp earth, minerals and pressed flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a gentle grip in the mouth, quite effervescent in the mouth that tingles with its coiled-up energy on the finish. This is a deeply impressive follow-up to the 2015 and it may improve once in bottle. It has great potential, the standout from Taupeont-Merme this year.

January, 2018

Stephen Tanzer

Vinous Media

91-94 points

Dark red-ruby. Aromas of blueberry, black cherry, licorice and crushed warm stones. Thick but pungently spicy and bright on entry, then more backward and soil-driven in the middle palate than the Charmes-Chambertin. A bit less sweet than the Charmes as well, showing slightly edgy acidity and finishing with a firm tannic spine. This deep, layered wine, which Romain Taupenot believes will ultimate be "stronger" than the Charmes, will require substantial patience.

January, 2018

Jancis Robinson

jancisrobinson.com

17.5/20

Racy and beautifully textured. Almost more Morey than Gevrey with its insouciant, lifted nature. Lovely wine!

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About Taupenot Merme

Brother-and-sister team Virginie and Romain are at the helm at this domaine. It has 13 hectares on the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, with grands crus including Clos des Lambrays, Charmes-Chambertin, Corton-Rognet and Mazoyères-Chambertin. These seventh generation winegrowers are typical of the new crop of young Burgundian vignerons who are realising the full potential of priceless family vineyard parcels through sensitive viticulture and thoughtful winemaking. All grapes are de-stemmed, with 25% new oak used for the village wines and 40% for grand and premier cru. Virginie looks after sales while Romain works the cellar, producing structured, self-assured Burgundy that expresses the vineyards well. The wines are getting better and better.

About

Seventh-generation Romain Taupenot is in charge of winemaking at Domaine Taupenot-Merme, aided by his sister Virginie. It's widely and correctly acknowledged that the estate, which has been working along organic principles since 2001, is on the up and up in terms of quality. Its results from the 2006 and 2007 vintages are drinking beautifully, and Romain has triumphed against all odds in the difficult vintages of 2012 and 2013.