VIEUX CHÂTEAU MAZERAT Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Created by Jonathan Maltus who is the winemaker Robert Parker calls the English Winemaking Guru. Jonathan was a key part of the ‘cult’ movement that thrived in Saint Emilion during the latter part of the 1990’s. We currently have around 52 hectares under vine in Saint Emilion - including 10 on the Côte de Saint-Emilion - where we make five wines among which is the iconic Le Dôme. Vieux Chateau Mazerat was the original vineyard out of which Le Dome was created. Our first vintage was 2008 and Vieux Chateau Mazerat was the only chateau to receive 5 Stars from Decanter with Cheval Blanc and Auzone.
VINEYARD Les Verdiannes Les Verdiannes Fonrazade
Saint Emilion Saint Emilion Saint Emilion
GRAPE VARIETIES
Merlot Cabernet Franc Merlot
65% Cabernet Franc
1947/52 1954/64 1960 TOTAL
1.60 hectares 1.50 hectares 1.05 hectares 4.15 hectares
35% Merlot
SOIL TYPES The Château is made up of two parts – the main part of the vineyard neighbours the two Beausejours and Angelus towards the village and is based on a bed of clay over limestone. The smaller part of the vineyard lies between Le Dôme and Angelus and is made up of sandy soils over a layer of Crasse de Fer at a depth of 40cm DESCRIPTION In his book BORDEAUX David Peppercorn wrote “It is the only unclassified cru in this sector just to the west of Saint Emilion, and doubtless if the wine comes to be put in casks it could easily achieve classification”. For this and a desire to link Le Dôme back to its original Château the vineyard was purchased in 2008. VITICULTURE The vines are pruned on the double guyot system. The secondary shoots are removed and two runs of green harvesting completed in order to achieve no more than four bunches of grapes per vine, about thirty hectolitres per hectare. The grapes are handpicked into small trays before transfer to the winery. VINIFICATION On arrival at the winery the trays are emptied onto the first vibrating sorting table where grapes that do not attain normal fruit set are automatically removed through grilles. Six sorters remove any bunches that do not conform to an acceptable standard. After de-stemming a second vibrating sorting table, manned by up to four additional sorters, removes any un-heterogeneous berries and any other extraneous matter. No must-pumps are used – with all transfers being made by conveyors. The fruit that arrives in the modern wooden vats is, therefore, excellent material to work with. Pre-fermentation maceration under gas and at a cool temperature is effected. Fermentation is conducted at relatively high temperatures. The wine, once primary fermentation is completed, is worked through the skins using pigeage and classic pumping over methods. AGEING Malolactic fermentation is achieved in new French oak. Racking is done on a traditional basis using esquives and gravity every three months. Ageing in barrel lasts for a period ranging between fourteen to eighteen months depending on the vintage. PRODUCTION An annual production of between 1,000 to 1,500 cases is being made of Vieux Château Mazerat. The first vintage of the wine by the new team was made in 2008.
DECANTER I POINTS 18.5 ‘This new wine from Jonathan Maltus of Chateau Teyssier is stamped with class. Fragrant, complex with beautifully extracted fruit and fine texture and tannins. Power and elegance as well as a sense of place. Old vine fruit from a top terroir close to the town of Saint-Emilion.‘ VIN TA GE
20 08
ROBERT PARKER I POINTS 93-95 ‘The 2008 was singing marvelously when I tasted it. Inky/purple-colored with full body, excellent concentration, and loads of black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, forest floor, crushed rock, and subtle smoke characteristics, it is a dense, rich, opulent, flamboyant effort with a 45-second finish. This is another example of the brilliant winemaking talents displayed by Jonathan Maltus and his consulting oenologists, Gilles Pauquet and Neil Whyte. The 2008 should drink well for 20+ years. A new acquisition by proprietor Jonathan Maltus, who sold Grand Destieu in order to upgrade to this terroir, this 10-acre vineyard is planted with 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. It is situated near several of the premier grand cru classes of St.-Emilion, including both Beausejours and Angelus.’
Jane ANSON I SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST I 97-98 POINTS 4 hectare plot. 3 hectares on the right of Angelus, one hectare on the left, each touching Angelus. This has such tingling tannins, incredibly well integrated. A stunning wine, this has wonderful length, gathering strength as it goes but without ever tipping over into over-extraction. Delicate finish. This has unbelievable balance. All alcohol levels around 14-14.5 for the reds this year. Blend here of 40% cabernet franc, 60% merlot. The extra parcel of merlot over sand and crasse de fer gives a gentle rendition of the Merlot grape that softens the whole wine. Beautiful texture.
VI NT AG E
20 09
DECANTER I 18 POINTS Powerful and concentrated. Built for ageing. Rich, dense extract. Dark fruit, spice and liquorish notes. Layered fruit on the palate with vigorous but suavely textured tannins. Drink 2018-2030. ROBERT PARKER I 91-93 POINTS This property was purchased several years ago by Jonathan Maltus, and the wine is composed of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. The 2009's beautiful aromas of flowers, cranberries, white chocolate, and spice are followed by a fleshy, deep, elegant, precise, vibrant wine that should drink well for 15+ years. ROBERT PARKER in bottle tasting, March 2012 I POINTS 97+ A blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc from vines in clay over limestone planted in 1947, this wine exhibits loads of chalky minerality and a stunning nose of espresso, blackberry, mulberry and kirsch. Elegant, with superb definition and a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, this effort has put on considerable weight since I tasted it from barrel. Unfortunately, the production is under 1,500 cases. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2032.
DECANTER | FIVE STARS Back to the winning ways of the first (’08) vintage. Intense, complex – violet, red fruit and spice aromas. Lovely depth of fruit on the palate - rich, round and caressing. Tannins ripe but present. Long, fresh finish. 2018-2030. —J.L. WINE ENTHUSIAST | POINTS 93-95 Great structured wine, with violet aromas and a lovely texture. There is a powerful center surrounded by darkly structured black fruits. –R.V.
VI NT A GE
20 10
ROBERT PARKER | POINTS 92-94 En Primeur Tasting From a tiny parcel of old vines east of the more well-known Angelus estate, near Beausejour-Duffau, Jonathan Maltus produces this limited production blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. The dense purple-hued 2010 possesses a crisp bouquet of blue, red and black fruits, crushed rocks, spring flowers and background oak. Full-bodied, powerful and dense, it is no doubt meant for long-term cellaring, so forget it for 2-3 years and drink it over the following two decades. Drink: 2013/33. ROBERT PARKER | POINTS 95+ In Bottle Tasting This is one of the tightest, most backward wines in the Jonathan Maltus portfolio. The grapes come from an old-vine parcel near Angelus and Beausejour-Duffau, and the final product is a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. Again displaying plenty of minerality, which seems to be a prevailing theme throughout the 2010s from Maltus, the 2010 Vieux Chateau Mazerat is full-bodied, with an abundance of floral notes as well as black currant and blackberry fruit. Impressively endowed and built like a skyscraper, this full-bodied wine needs a good 7-8 years of cellaring and should keep for 25-30 years. Interestingly, the vines were planted in 1947.
VI NT A GE
20 11
VI NT A GE
20 12
ROBERT PARKER, THE WINE ADVOCATE POINTS 92-95 The 2011 boasts a black/purple hue (like many of Jonathan Maltus’s wines in 2011), terrific intensity, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, and multidimensional flavors of creme de cassis, kirsch, licorice, toast, chocolate and spicy oak. It is a big, dense, thick, full-bodied St.-Emilion that is nearly atypical for the vintage. No doubt the old vines and tiny yields had a significant influence on the formation of this wine. Give it 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25+. From a vineyard planted in 1947 on clay and limestone soils, this 1,500-case blend of two-thirds Merlot and one-third Cabernet Franc is a blockbuster for the vintage. It was harvested between September 26 and October 3.
ROBERT PARKER, THE WINE ADVOCATE POINTS 92-94 Mulberry, black cherry, kirsch, lavender, spring flower and crushed chalk-like notes emerge from this well-endowed, medium to full-bodied, rich, fragrant wine that displays both nobility and raciness. The tannins are apparent in this big, impressively endowed 2012. It should drink well for 15-20 years. There is the famed Vieux Chateau Certan (known by wine geeks as VCC) and now there is VCM from Jonathan Maltus. Surrounded on three sides by the famous Chateau Canon and near to both Angelus and Beausejour-Duffau, Vieux Chateau Mazerat tends to be about two-thirds Merlot and one-third Cabernet Franc (from vines planted in 1947).
Points 94-96 - Wine Enthusiast VI NT A G E
2 0 1 3
Barrel Sample. Big, bold and ripe, this is a full wine that has a full structure and dense tannins. Dark and powerful, with dark chocolate and blackberry fruit flavors, it is balanced but asking for serious aging. — R.V. (4/1/2014)
Points 91-93 - Wine Advocate, Neil Martin The Vieux Château Mazaret is a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc picked on 14 and 17 October. There is plenty of dark berry, black plum fruit on the nose that is quite sensual and well defined. The palate is medium-bodied, very well balanced with velvety tannins. This is very focused with good tension and a poised finish. This might be Jonathan Maltus’s best wine this year. Tasted April 2014.
Points 90- 92 – Robert Parker Vieux Chateau Mazerat’s brilliant 2013 emerges from a tiny, clay and limestone-based vineyard near such stars as Chateau Angelus and Canon. Much of this vineyard was planted in 1947. The 2013, a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc, was made from tiny yields with no more than four bunches of grapes per vine, and even those showed a lot of shatter and millerandage (the falling of berries from poor weather during the flowering). This deep ruby/purple-colored 2013 reveals serious minerality as well as lots of dense mulberry and black cherry fruit, incense and graphite characteristics. Medium-bodied with excellent depth, texture and richness, it should be drinkable upon release, and last for 10-12 years thereafter
Points 17.25 - DECANTER, James Lawther 35% old-vine (1947) Cabernet Franc. Powerful wine with deep colour and dark, brambly fruit. Layered fruit on the palate and long, firm finish. Drink: 2019-2030
VI N TA G E
Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast
2 0 1 4
16-17/20 POINTS “A very expressive nose here, quite dense and savoury with spiced fruits, all dark and reserved. It has a perfumed palate, filled with rose petals and peonies too, supple and quite polished, textured and quite grippy. It is broad, with quite a firm shell on the outside, and wrapped around this some floral fruit, with a spicy tannic backbone, and fresh acids giving balance. This is firm but very primary, with a great tannic grip in the finish.”
94-96 POINTS “Barrel Sample. This is a rich, powerful and classically ripe wine. Full on the palate, it has a strong structure that is balanced by generous black fruits. There is just a hint of wood at the moment, but it's the fruit concentration that really sings.”
Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor
Neal Martin – The Wine Advocate 90-92 POINTS “The Vieux Château Mazerat 2014 is a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc that touches Angélus and Canon in places. Now here we have fine mineralité on the nose, the Cabernet Franc (planted in 1947) really imparting the complexity into the aromatics, lending a sense of energy. Returning to my glass after 10 minutes the aromatics really start to motor with hints of dark chocolate joining the chorus line. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, a keen line of acidity, a pleasant symmetry and a pleasant touch of tart cherry on the slightly rigid finish. Afford this several years in bottle to mellow.”
Antonio Galloni - Vinous 91-94 POINTS “The 2014 Vieux Château Mazerat is the most obvious and powerful wine in Jonathan Malthus's range. A huge, dark wine, the 2014 displays notable breadth and resonance throughout. Black cherries, smoke and new leather emerge, but only with great reluctance. In fact, the 2014 shuts down rather quickly in the glass, which is probably a good sign for the future. The blend is 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc.”