Domaine Ponsot
21, rue de la Montagne
21220 Morey-Saint-Denis
Tél : +33 (0) 380 343 246

info@domaine-ponsot.com
www.domaine-ponsot.com 

Domaine Ponsot, a great Burgundy wine

All you need to know about Domaine Ponsot, a great Burgundy wine from Morey-Saint-Denis

The know-how of excellence in Morey-Saint-Denis

Located on the Côte de Nuits in the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation, Domaine Ponsot is an eight-hectare estate devoted to Burgundy's most outstanding appellations. 4 generations of Ponsots have written the history of this estate, and today it is Rose-Marie Ponsot who presides over the destiny of this property since 2017, whose wines - sometimes in very limited quantities, as is often the case in Burgundy - are quickly in demand internationally. 

1872: starting point at Morey-Saint-Denis

It all began in 1872 when William Ponsot, a native of Saint Romain village, decided to buy his first hectares of vines in Morey-Saint-Denis in the famous Clos des Monts Luisants (later known as Clos de la Roche). He developed appellations such as Charmes-Chambertin and Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes. Thanks to plots of Clos des Monts-Luisants acquired in 1911, where William Ponsot took advantage of the opportunity to replant these plots with the famous white Aligoté grape variety, followed by Clos de la Roche, Domaine Ponsot expanded over time. It should be noted that Domaine Ponsot took on a new dimension in the 1920s when Hippolyte Ponsot (nephew and godson of William Ponsot) acquired 75% of the original Clos de la Roche lieu-dit, taking advantage of the opportunity to replant Pinot Noir grapes of better quality than those planted after the phylloxera epidemic. Clos de la Roche is the perfect ambassador for the estate's reputation. It's worth remembering that Hippolyte had made a career in diplomacy, representing France on the international stage. His influence was such that he was even actively involved in the creation of the AOC classification for Burgundy vines in 1936. Another pioneering influence was his decision, in 1921, to bottle his wines on the estate. In the 1930s, he exported his wines mainly to the American market.

In the 1950s, Jean-Marie Ponsot took over the reins, followed by Laurent Ponsot, before handing over in 2017 to his sister, Rose-Marie Ponsot, who became the manager and represents the fourth generation of these winegrowers, lovers of wine and of this magnificent terroir, working over the generations for 150 years.

The Côte de Nuits and beyond

Domaine Ponsot's stronghold, Morey-Saint-Denis is one of the best-endowed villages in terms of Grands Crus. Judge for yourself! The famous Clos de Tart, a monopoly founded by the Cistercians in 1141. Next comes Clos Saint-Denis, created by the canons of Vergy. Lastly, Clos des Lambrays and Clos de la Roche are the result of historic creations and the regrouping of several Climats. Situated at altitude (around 250 meters) and perfectly exposed to the rising sun, these Grands Crus are an extension of the Grands Crus of Gevrey-Chambertin (further south) before the Bonnes-Mares.

Domaine Ponsot's vineyards produce mainly red wines, from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte de Beaune. The family vinifies its wines in the prestigious villages of Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot and Chambolle-Musigny. Domaine Ponsot also produces a white Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru in the Côte de Beaune region.

The family is very close to nature and environmental issues, and has decided to grow all the vines organically and biodynamically, thus helping to express the nuances of the terroirs while sublimating Pinot Noir and even Aligoté, the white grape variety that was abandoned in the past, but which Domaine Ponsot wanted to reintroduce very early on, at the beginning of the last century.

Highly esteemed bottles

Domaine Ponsot is a true expert in Pinot Noir. Its flagship wines include Grands Crus and Premiers Crus such as Charmes-Chambertin cuvée des Merles, its Griotte-Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes and not forgetting its Corton cuvée du Bourdon. But the most emblematic red and white wines are the Grand Cru Clos de La Roche Vieilles Vignes and the famous and confidential (in terms of quantity produced) Premier Cru Morey-Saint-Denis Clos des Monts Luisants (100% Aligoté planted in 1911).

Grand Cru Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de La Roche Vieilles Vignes :

This is Domaine Ponsot's historic wine. This prestigious 3.2-hectares cru is made up of plots on eight climats located north-west of Morey-Saint-Denis, and dominates the plains due to its altitude. The vines are very old Pinot Noir, with an average age of over 65 years. The Pinot Noir here is sumptuous, drawing all its nuances from a lean, clayey soil on a base of fine Premeaux and Comblanchien limestone. In fact, this presence of rock gave the Clos its name. The wine, produced in 10,000 bottles, is an assertive, deep Pinot Noir smelling of black truffles, red and black fruits, humus (when aged) that combines power, complexity and elegance with real wine weight, all built around dense yet extremely delicate tannins. A wine for ageing by definition, with a style reminiscent of certain Chambertin.

Premier Cru Morey-Saint-Denis Clos des Monts Luisants :

In the Domaine's history, this is the second historic wine to have been produced and bottled in the early 20s: unprecedented for the time! This is a wine singular in style and unique in status in Burgundy. This is one of the very few white Premiers Crus on the Côte de Nuits. More than 2/3 of it comes from very old Aligoté vines planted by William Ponsot in 1911. This 1 hectare plot of Aligoté is located at altitude, on a thin, clayey soil on limestone scree with a Dijon-Corton limestone base. The Domaine produces 4500 bottles of this prestigious and unique wine. The wine is well-balanced, concentrated and subtly perfumed, with singular Aligoté aromas that differ from those of traditional Chardonnay. The wine has tension, minerality and volume on the palate (fatness) that doesn't overwhelm the wine's balance and freshness. It's a monument in its own right.

Domaine Ponsot's great vintages :

White dry: 1947, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023

Red wine: 1934, 1959, 1985, 1989, 1990, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023