Domaine Ponsot Clos St Denis Cuvee Tres Vielles Vignes 2006

Type: Red Wine      Volume: 750ml

Winery: Domaine Ponsot

Country: France     Region: Burgundy

District: Clos St Denis Grand Cru

Grapes Varieties: pinot noir

Classification: Grand Cru - Burgundy     Production: 

Alcohol: 13.5% abv     Packing: 

Ratings and Tasting Notes:

RP96 The label of Ponsot's 2006 Clos St.-Denis Cuvee Tres Vieilles Vignes confirms that he has changed his approach to labelling 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.

AG92-95 (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.

AM92-94 DON'T MISS! Strong reduction. The flavour profile is wonderfully rich, full and naturally sweet and brimming with buckets of dry extract that renders the tannins all but invisible on the fantastically deep and impressively balanced finish that offers up lovely freshness and precision. What I really admire about this wine is that it delivers so much flavour pop and breadth with absolutely no trace of undue weight or heaviness. In a word, terrific. Note: from a .45 ha parcel of 100+-year-old vines