Domaine Ponsot

Domaine Ponsot

There is history of innovation here with it being one of the first Domaines to practise estate bottling in the 1930s, and perhaps more significantly the Ponsots were among the first growers to understand the importance of clones and clonal selection - many of the most important Pinot Noir clones originate from their vineyards.

The first Ponsot on the scene was William, originally from St Romain but on returning from the Franco-Prussian war he settled in Morey St Denis in 1872 and bought vineyard land including the Clos des Monts Luisants. He was succeeded in 1920 by his cousin and godson, Hippolyte Ponsot, who was joined by his son Jean-Marie in 1942. Jean-Marie, long-time mayor of Morey, ran the business from 1958 until the early 1980s when his son Laurent, currently the man in charge, took over.
 
Right from the start in 1872 the Ponsots bottled a proportion of their own wine, although this was only for the family and their restaurants- they owned the franchise for all the station buffets in northern Italy! Hippolyte took the decision to bottle the entire production of the domaine in 1934.
 
Laurent Ponsot takes a very individual approach. He uses no insecticide or pesticide but does not call himself organic. He pays attention to the moon and the stars, and the rhythm of plant life, but would not wish to be described as biodynamic. When the grapes are, eventually, picked, they received a faint dusting of sulphur but no more is used either during vinification or maturation, or indeed at bottling, except in the case of a specific problem.
 
There is no sorting table, because any defective bunches, or parts of bunches, have already been removed in the vineyards, before picking. The healthy grapes are destalked, for the most part, and allowed to ferment whenever they wish and for as long as they wish., with punching down or pumping over being used as Laurent sees fit in a given year. Excesses of temperature are controlled but otherwise the grapes are left to their own devices, before the juice is sent to barrel: not new wood, not even young wood, but barrels which are 10 or more years old. The wines may or may not be racked before bottling, assuming the moon is suitable, at some point in the spring or summer of the second year after the vintage.
 
All this runs counter to most received wisdom and the wines remain somewhat controversial. They can lose colour rapidly after the bottling only to rediscover it in full maturity. Great vintages are usually very impressive from the start. Minor years seem weak and almost dried out at the time of bottling but freshen up amazingly later on.

Ponsot also makes Charmes Chambertin and Clos de Vougeot vieilles vignes through an arrangement with another grower.

The average age of the vines across the Domaine is 50 years old and it is this, along with Laurent Ponsot's expertise, that give these wines their power, concentration, and rich, exotic and spicy nuances.
 
Laurent Ponsot has also being playing sleuth, attempting to track down those who are manufacturing false bottles of old wine in various international markets. The issue was drawn to his attention by some impossible auction lots – great old vintages of Clos St Denis, for example, when the first vintage produced of this wine by the domaine was 1982. Unfortunately where such bottles surface is no indication of where they were fabricated. There are now ways of testing the date of the glass bottles themselves, which may help in detecting fraud even if not in catching the fraudsters.

Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.

Show more filters
Available for delivery or collection. Pricing includes duty and VAT.
£435.50 – bottle (75cl)
Limited availability More sizes available
Add item
2018 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2018
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
14.5% Alcohol
Find out more
£759.00 – magnum (150cl)
Limited availability
Add item
2017 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2017
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
£904.00 – bottle (75cl)
Berrys' Carton
Add item
2013 Chambertin, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2013
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
£2,167.00 – magnum (150cl)
Berrys' Carton Limited availability
Add item
2012 Chambertin, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2012
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
£4,584.50 – twelve-bottle assortment case (900cl)
Limited availability
Add item
2017 Domaine Ponsot, 12-bottle Assortment Case
Red
2017
Not ready
Full Bodied
Dry
13.0% Alcohol
Find out more
£7,119.50 – twelve-bottle assortment case (900cl)
Limited availability
Add item
2013 Assortment Case, 1x CC,CB,CCDB,CDR GC,C,C,CC,LM,CC,CV,CSD, Ponsot
Red
2013
Not ready
Full Bodied
Dry
14.0% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2016 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2016
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
14.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2014 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2014
Ready - at best
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2015 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2015
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2009 Chapelle Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2009
Ready - at best
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2009 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2009
Ready - at best
Full Bodied
Dry
14.0% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2002 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2002
Ready - Mature
Full Bodied
Dry
14.0% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2002 Chambolle-Musigny, Les Charmes, 1er Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2002
Ready - at best
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
1999 Griotte-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
1999
Ready - Mature
Full Bodied
Dry
12.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
1999 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
1999
Ready - Mature
Full Bodied
Dry
13.8% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2008 Chambertin, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2008
Ready - youthful
Full Bodied
Dry
13.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2019 Chapelle Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2019
Not ready
Full Bodied
Dry
14.5% Alcohol
Find out more
Available in bond
2020 Morey-St Denis, Cuvée des Grives, Domaine Ponsot, Burgundy
Red
2020
Ready - at best
Full Bodied
Dry
13.0% Alcohol
Find out more