2019 Laurent Ponsot Clos de Vougeot GC 2010 Domaine Ponsot Clos de Vougeot GC 2020 Laurent Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin 2012 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin 2018 Laurent Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis GC 2013 Domaine Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis GC

It was a pleasure to meet up with Monsieur Laurent Ponsot again at Iggy’s on 06 March 2024 during one of his regular trips to Singapore. By now, most people would have known that Laurent had left Domaine Ponsot since 2017 to set up his own winery. He focuses largely on blends nowadays, buying in grapes from several different growers for each plot or lieu-dit to produce, perhaps, a more representative example of that particular wine. However, Laurent has been able to retain absolute ownership of certain prized plots (the grand crus of Clos Saint-Denis, Griotte-Chambertin and Chambertin, inter alia) even though he is now independent. This set the stage for a fascinating comparison between Domaine Ponsot and Laurent Ponsot SAS for the same wine by the same winemaker from the exact same plot of vines, bottled using the same Ardea-Seal closure that Laurent has utilised since 2008 which allows only 100 parts per million of oxygen permeability. From the all-grand cru line-up specially curated by Iggy, it is clear that Laurent Ponsot’s later efforts (with the exception of Clos de Vougeot) are fresher, brimming with greater vibrancy and tension, yet immaculately proportioned, qualities that are most appropriately personified by its modern label. These are wines that will last well into the century. Merci beaucoup Laurent! We look forward to meeting up with you again soon on your home turf at Gilly-lès-Citeaux.

2019 Laurent Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Deep purple. Controlled restraint of raspberries and cherries on the nose though the slim medium-full palate is rather exuberant, imbued with superb freshness of fruit and lively acidity that impart tight supple intensity, structured with refined tannins. Very subtly layered. Modest finish. A blend of fruit from ten different locations within this huge plot, supplied by eight providers.

2010 Domaine Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Deep pinot tint, showing some early evolution. Beautifully layered with darkish plummy fruit that exude elegant charm, underscored by distinct but subtle ferrous elements. It unfurled a central deeper core of early complexity, boasting seamless layers of supple vibrant fruit that shone with excellent purity, its highly integral tannins perceived rather than felt. Finished with fine delineation and moderate length. Highly classical. Developing very well.

2020 Laurent Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deeply coloured. Well extracted depth of dark plums and currants amid deep dark rosy hues. Matches very well the exciting verve and tension on the generously endowed palate, superbly integrated with excellent precision and impeccable balance. From exact same plot as Domaine Ponsot.

2012 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru. Darkish pinot tint. Surprisingly developed, proffering effusive pruny tones underpinned by an earthy reduction, while the fullish palate is rather dense, opaque and leathery, structured with rounded smooth tannins. Became more introspective over time, developing strong medicinal overtones. Laurent was adamant that, with the use of the Ardea-Seal closure, bottle variation was out of the question but the general opinion was that this bottle wasn’t quite the best example. Iggy had found the closure to be a little loose when popped and so, perhaps, that’s the answer.

2018 Laurent Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru. Deeply coloured. Unique bouquet of fresh toast and war dry gravel. Superb in the mouth, the ample presence and layered depth of gloriously ripe berries imparting wonderful vibrancy and freshness tempered with controlled intensity. Almost lush and succulent. Highly integral, again with tannins so refined as to only be perceived, developing a further note of mocha over time. Finished well. Highly consistent with a previous bottle tasted a year ago, also in the presence of Laurent (courtesy of Alice Wee). Laurent claims the Clos Saint-Denis is his Romanée-Conti, but even more scarce. Derived from vines dating as far back as 1905, only 1-3 barrels are produced annually from a 1-ha plot out of this 2.2-ha grand cru. Outstanding.

2013 Domaine Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru. Opaque brownish-red. Rather shy on the nose, exuding just a faint fragrance consistent with its rounded lean medium presence, the fruit a little too backward, leaving a sense of hollowness with a trace of brightness on the mid-palate. Probably a function of the uneven vintage. Also made from the same plot of vines as Laurent’s own line.