A Decade of Ponsot Clos de la Roche
Few domaines are as inseparable from a single Grand Cru as Domaine Ponsot is from Clos de la Roche.
The relationship dates to the domaine's founding in 1872, when William Ponsot acquired Clos des Monts-Luisants and his first parcel of Clos de la Roche in Morey-Saint-Denis. His successor, Hippolyte Ponsot, expanded the family's holdings and became one of Burgundy's early champions of estate bottling beginning in 1921. More than a century later, Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes remains the historic centerpiece of the domaine.
This offer provides an opportunity to follow that wine across ten vintages, from 2013 through 2022, with the majority available in magnum and some extending all the way to a rare 3-liter format.
The Making of Clos de la Roche
Ponsot farms 3.2 hectares for its Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, with vines averaging approximately 65 years old. Two-thirds lie within the original Clos de la Roche climat, while the remaining third sits at the foot of the slope in Clos des Monts-Luisants, which lies within the boundaries of the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. The domaine's history here is so deep that selections of Pinot Noir from its Clos de la Roche vines contributed to the development of some of the Dijon clones that subsequently spread around the world.
Yet what makes Ponsot particularly fascinating is how little the domaine attempts to impose upon this extraordinary raw material.
The philosophy begins with patience. The team is willing to wait for full physiological ripeness rather than harvest according to the calendar—even if that means another week on the vine. Selection begins in the vineyard, continues as the small picking cases are loaded for transport, and happens once again at the winery. The goal is deceptively simple: bring pristine, perfectly ripe fruit into the cellar.
From there, intervention is remarkably restrained. The Pinot Noir has been completely destemmed for decades and ferments spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in large wooden vats, some of which have themselves served generations of the family. There is no formula for extraction: winemaking decisions are adjusted according to the character of the fruit and the vintage.
After fermentation, free-run and press wines are brought together, and the wine moves into seasoned French oak for approximately 18 months, none of it new to develop the wine without placing the signature of the cooper over that of Clos de la Roche.
It is an approach built around a conviction that great wine is already contained within great fruit. The job of the cellar is largely to avoid obscuring it.
Available Wines
That makes a vertical such as this particularly compelling. Rather than smoothing out the differences among years, Ponsot's approach allows vintage to remain visible. The collection spans 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, including both 750ml bottles and an exceptional concentration of large formats.
For collectors, this is more than an opportunity to acquire individual bottles of one of Morey-Saint-Denis's great wines. It is the chance to build a remarkably coherent vertical of Ponsot's defining Grand Cru—and, through it, watch nearly a decade of Burgundy unfold in the glass.
If you have any questions or would like assistance accessing the wine wines, our team is here to help. Just reply to this email or contact us directly at sarah@vineyardbrandscollective.com. These wines are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and will be available until September 9, or until sold out.
What the Critics Say
2013: "So suave and poised with superb symmetry and an effortless finish." 95-97 points, Wine Advocate
2014: "This is a fabulous, vivacious Clos de la Roche. 2018-2045." 95-97 points, Wine Advocate
2016: "An utterly seamless grand cru with outstanding depth of texture and an impression of energy and power." 94-97 points, Vinous
2017: "This is a brilliant wine from Domaine Ponsot." Wine Advocate
2018: "This appears to be the most structured Ponsot Clos de la Roche of the decade; it will demand patience, but it is a terrific wine in the making." Wine Advocate
2019: "It’s not all the time that Clos de la Roche is described as a wine of class, but in 2019, this wine has that highly desirable attribute. In a word, terrific." 9 6 points, Burghound
2020: "...this Grand Cru seeming to fill every pore of the mouth. It just fans out marvelously with a residual spicy note lingering long after the wine has departed. Superb." 96-98 points, Vinous
2021: "A masterful rendition of the Clos de la Roche... one sees the great potential of this vintage." 95 points, Decanter
2022: "Wait at least five years before opening, ten if possible; this age-worthy beauty should last 40 or 50 years." 96 points, Decanter
