Vintage Character The 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 'Vieilles Vignes' from Heresztyn-Mazzini is inseparable from the estate's frost-affected season. Buds had begun to swell after a mild late winter, so the polar air arriving on 5 April damaged every domaine parcel and reduced the potential crop. May was cooler and wetter than usual, with more rain in the early summer and persistent work needed to keep the vines healthy. The estate harvested from 22 to 29 September. Its 2021 reds emerge from a small, late crop shaped by selection and careful timing, with a delicate balance rather than the weight of a hot year.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The Vieilles Vignes cuvée draws on several Gevrey-Chambertin climats, including Billard, Es Murots, La Platière, Puits de la Barraque, Combe Lavaut and Pince-Vin. The domaine describes clay-limestone and shell-rich marl across these parcels. Old vines supply depth, while the profile emphasises red fruit, spice, elegance and a structure that can be firm, at 13% alcohol. In 2021 savoury tension and fruit detail meet, rather than bulk alone, with red cherry, raspberry and violet. Roast duck, woodland mushrooms or a modestly seasoned lamb dish draw out its complexity. Serve at about 16 degrees.
Winery Background Florence Heresztyn and Simon Mazzini manage about six hectares around Gevrey-Chambertin and neighbouring Côte de Nuits villages. The vines behind this cuvée were planted over several decades from 1950 to 1995, according to the estate's technical sheet. Organic farming, biodynamic work and native-yeast fermentation form part of its stated method, and the estate's 2021 range was organically certified. This is a village wine with a wider mosaic of sites than Clos Village, and the difficult year's fresh line helps hold those components together: mature-vine Gevrey seen through the precise, cool lens of 2021.