Region: Morey Saint-Denis, Burgundy, France

Vintage: 2013

Composition: 100% Pinot Noir

History: Domaine Ponsot is a family-owned wine producer in Burgundy. It is known for its red and white wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but is also well-known for the Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Clos des Monts Luisants, the only 100-percent Aligoté premier cru wine in Burgundy. The domaine was founded in 1872 by the Ponsot family in Morey-Saint-Denis. Unlike most Burgundy houses, Domaine Ponsot does not make regional wines under the Bourgogne title. It also manages its vineyards and wineries differently to other producers in Burgundy. There are no sorting tables – bunch management is done in the vineyard. The wines go through uncontrolled ferments, and are not filtered or fined. The domaine gained notoriety when it was embroiled in the widespread wine fraud of counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan. In 2008, owner Laurent Ponsot was sent an auction list that included some old vintages of Ponsot wines. Some of these were wines that had never been produced, and suspecting counterfeit, asked that these wines were withdrawn from the auction. Since then, Ponsot has looked into various counterfeiting measures, and in 2009, the bottles were fingerprinted with unique bubble codes that were impossible to reproduce.

Tasting Notes:

“The Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru has the most composed bouquet of Laurent Ponsot’s grand crus from the Gevrey appéllation, with seductive scents of black cherry, wild strawberry and crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and crisp acidity, pretty dark cherries and blueberry here with a slither of Seville orange marmalade on the finish. It is a satisfactory Griotte Chambertin, although I would like to see more depth, more energy conveyed towards the finish. ”  – The Wine Advocate