Ponsot   Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru

2016 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru

By Ponsot

2016 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru by Ponsot, Burgundy, France

In the realm of fine Burgundy, the 2016 vintage holds a revered stature for its display of resilience and finesse - a story encapsulated with delicate mastery in the 2016 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot. Located in the heart of Côtes de Nuits, the historic vineyards were tested by nature's caprices, yet emerged triumphant, crafting wines that are paragons of complexity and longevity.

 

A Testament to Terroir and Tenacity

The season's trials began with spring frosts, which brought about a certain rigour that can be tasted in the grapes' concentrated essence. Through a remarkable growing season recovery, the old vines of Clos de la Roche yielded an exceptional crop that bore witness to the adage: adversity breeds excellence. The cooler than average August nights instilled an arresting vibrancy in the wine, its balanced acidity playing harmonious counterpoint to the intensity of fruit.

 

The Allure of Austerity

The palate tells a tale of 2016's unique attributes; there is a sophisticated austerity to this vintage. Each sip reveals layers – dark cherry and earthy undergrowth segue into an ethereal truffle-like note that whispers of the ancient vines' deep Burgundian roots. The tannins, while pronounced, are like woven silk – firm yet yielding – testifying to a structure amenable to graceful aging.

Investing in this 2016 Ponsot offering is not merely acquiring an exemplary Grand Cru, but also securing a slice of viticultural resilience. This particular harvest represents more than just an outstanding result of well-nurtured fruit; it manifests as a liquid anthology of the year's climatic narrative.

 

A Vintage to Cherish and to Invest

The 2016 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot stands out extraordinarily within an investor's portfolio. With detailed care in vinification and attentiveness to terroir integrity, Ponsot has rendered not just a wine for consumption but an asset for connoisseurs and investors alike – one that will mature gloriously as both a beverage and an investment over time.

As we uncork the subtleties encased within this profound vintage, we uncork also the promise of return - tangible through taste, palpable through profit.

Market price (GBP)

£3,600.00

12x75cl

Highest score

97

POP score

211.76

Scores and tasting notes

97

The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is superb, bursting from the glass with aromas of juicy cherries, peonies, blood orange, licorice, raw cocoa and espresso roast. On the palate, it's full-bodied, deep and succulent, with a concentrated, layered mid-palate, satiny structuring tannins and vibrant underlying acidity, concluding with a long finish. Harvested on October 7 at a comparatively high yield by Ponsot's standards of 38 hectoliters per hectare, this year seems to have been perfectly adapted to Ponsot's style. Vibrant, elegant and expressive, the 2016 is quite different from the richer, more powerful 2015, but in the fullness of time, I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpassing its brawnier elder sibling.

William Kelley - The Wine Advocate, 31 October 2018

Vintage performance