Arnaud Mortet : Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020

Tasting notes and serving suggestions for the Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 from Domaine Arnaud Mortet

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a deep ruby-red color with garnet highlights and brilliant shine.

Nose

The nose is floral and intensely fragrant, dominated by aromas of violet and sweet spices. The crystalline bouquet reveals notes of black cherries and a touch of blackcurrant, alongside hints of rose, peony and crushed spices infused into red fruits.

Palate

The palate is medium-bodied yet strikingly powerful, with notes of ripe dark fruits. The mid-palate reveals juicy red-fruit character, fine acidity and a taut freshness. The tannins are firm yet refined, while a remarkable liveliness brings balance and finesse. The finish, precise and immensely long, lingers with an almost aching intensity and powerful flavors—concentrated and perfectly defined.

Food and wine pairings

This Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 pairs beautifully with noble red meats such as Beef Wellington or roast beef. It also goes wonderfully with game dishes such as roast duck, beef tenderloin or venison. Mushroom-based preparations—especially porcini risottos or morel sauces—create remarkable harmonies. Poultry and veal in sauce are also excellent choices, as are characterful aged cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

This Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 will benefit from decanting and serving at a temperature of 15 to 18°C to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. The optimal drinking window extends approximately from 2025 to around 2045, with the wine likely reaching its peak around 2030-2035.

A fruity, precise Grand Cru from Gevrey-Chambertin

The estate

Established in 1992 by Denis Mortet following the division of the family holdings, the estate now spans sixteen hectares in Burgundy, primarily in Gevrey-Chambertin. Arnaud Mortet, who took over in 2006 at the age of twenty-four after the premature death of his father, now runs the estate alongside his mother Laurence and his sister Clémence. In 2016, the acquisition of an additional four hectares led to the creation of Domaine Arnaud Mortet, a separate entity managed according to the same principles. The estate stands out for its sustainable viticulture (50% organic), the use of horses for plowing, and a minimalist winemaking approach favoring elegance and the expression of terroir, with a notable reduction in extraction and new oak.

The vineyard

The Mazoyères-Chambertin is a Grand Cru located in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of the Côte de Nuits. Domaine Arnaud Mortet’s plot covers 0.45 hectares and is planted with vines around 45 years old. The soils are characterized by a limestone gravel substrate, with light, very shallow topsoil, strewn with abundant stones and an outcropping bedrock. This distinctive geological makeup gives the wine its marked mineral character and remarkable structure.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy stands out for its sunny, early-ripening profile. This year produced concentrated wines while preserving beautiful freshness, a sought-after hallmark in Burgundy’s finest expressions.

Winemaking and aging

The Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020 is vinified with 50% whole clusters. Aging takes place over seventeen months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new oak. True to the estate’s philosophy favoring finesse and elegance, the wine is neither fined nor filtered, preserving its aromatic integrity and structural complexity. The use of indigenous yeasts respects the natural expression of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir.