2006 Clos St Denis Cuvee Tres Vieilles Vignes
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Tasting notes
The label of Ponsot's 2006 Clos St.-Denis Cuvee Tres Vieilles Vignes confirms that he has changed his approach to labeling a bit, since formerly – reflecting his aversion to "vieilles vignes" – this wine called "Cuvee du Centenaire." Here we have the sheer size and slightly gruff tannic grip of the corresponding Clos Vougeot combined with the nuance, intrigue, and exhilarating length of this year's Chambertin. Game, peat, forest floor, citrus oils, and high-toned kirsch and framboise practically assault the nose. Bitter-sweet tart berry fruit and myriad mineral shadings erupt on the palate, while the dark soil and animal low tones as well as the spirituous manifestations of fruit – joined by hints of floral perfume – persist all the way through to a finish of energetic lift as well as faintly gritty and tactilely spicy persistence. Picking chez Ponsot began predictably late – on September 27 – and lasted until October 5. As might have been expected, Laurent Ponsot acted rigorously in the vineyards in the immediate aftermath of hail and eventually on the sorting table (overseen, he notes, by an especially meticulous team of three young women) to insure that any effects were minimized. (For some notes on the often unorthodox methods Ponsot employs, readers should consult my report in issue 170.) Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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(these vines were planted in 1905) Good deep red-ruby. Knockout nose combines cherry, underbrush, chocolate, mocha and brown spices (Ponsot describes this as an "antique" wine, by which I assume he means it's like the Burgundies of a much earlier generation). The palate offers extraordinary creamy depth and sweetness, with its soil-driven fruits lifted by aromatic spices and minerals. Finishes with great spicy persistence. A compelling example of Clos Saint-Denis dirt. The crop level here was about 14 hectoliters per hectare, according to Ponsot, who added that the yield in 2005 was barely 10 h/h.
About the producer
Domaine Ponsot is one of the most well-known estates in the Côte de Nuits, famed for owning three of the original four hectares of the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. The legendary domaine also produces another nine Grand Cru cuvées.