What we know: Laurent Ponsot to leave Domaine Ponsot

I’m an old and rather sentimental guy at times … and the Ponsot news was a deep cut in my Bungundy roots. The first Grand Cru Burgundies I bought were two bottles of Clos de la Roche 1988 from Domaine Ponsot and some of the next were two bottles of Griottes-Chambertin 1990. This was more than 25 years ago – so we go way back me and Laurent Ponsot.

While I sometimes have had difficulties in understanding the Ponsot wines in their teenage years, I do truly adore these wines when they mature … they offer all one would want from a mature Burgundy – complexity, delicacy and refinement.

I would hate to miss the opportunity to indulge in the hedonistic feast it is to open a mature wine from Laurent Ponsot.

However .. with the current prices of vineyards, changes in the ownership of estates is inevitable .. no one will be able to buy out a 75% ownership share of a large estate from siblings. Partial owners will indeed be tempted to take the money, if a generous offer on the estate presents itself – Domaine Bonneau du Martray is a likely example.

We do however not know the background for Laurent Ponsot’s decision to leave Domaine Ponsot- we only know some of he consequences – so what do we know at the moment?

Update to this article

The development of this story does not currently provide a stable or consistent picture of the future situation. The latest interviw with Laurent Ponsot can be seen here

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What we know about the new négociant business “Laurent Ponsot”

Laurent Ponsot has established a négociant business named “Laurent Ponsot”, and this will already be operational in 2017.

In the interview with Wine-Spectator¹ He explains that the new setup will start selling wines already in 2017 and the first will reach the retailers by the end of the year. This indicate that he will have wines to sell made by Domaine Ponsot from the 2015 vintage or at least some from the 2016 vintage (not likely though as that would be very early.

Secondly we know that he will build a new winery in Saint-Nicolas-les-Citeaux and this show that there will be no joint winemaking between Maison “Laurent Ponsot” and Domaine Ponsot in the future. The vinification of the 2017 vintage will happen in the new winery facility build in Saint-Nicolas-les-Citeaux.

This also indicates that he comes very well prepared .. it does takes time to plan and build a new winery and to have all the permits in place to do this.

We also know that he will start the business with his oldest son Clément Ponsot who according to my informations was born in 1979 .. so this a project for the future I presume.

The vineyards and the wines are however the most interesting part … so what do we know?

The vineyards and the wines – what we know!

We know quite a lot from the Wine Spectator interview ¹ … and so far the following wines are mentioned:

Reds:

1. Chambertin
2. Clos St. Denis
3. Griottes-Chambertin
4. Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes

Whites:

1. Montrachet
2. Corton Charlemagne
3. Meursault Les Perriéres
4. Meursault Genevriéres
5. Meursault Charmes
6. Meursault Blagny

All of these are made from vineyards that Domaine Ponsot have or should I say had via metayage agreements and other venture projects i.e. all rented vineyards. Not a single plot owned by Domaine Ponsot – so he is not taking his share of the family vineyard heritage with him so to speak – at this stage.

In the article in Wine Spectator¹ 7 reds and 9 whites are mentioned – so we are missing to identify 3 reds and 3 whites.

My guess would be that more of the rented or joint-venture vineyards currently in the Domaine Ponsot portfolio will follow. For the reds it could be – Clos de Vougeot, Charmes-Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze.

On the white side it is more difficult but presumably the Saint-Romain now produced by Domaine Ponsot could be one of them – still two missing though.

I do however find it highly speculative to include vineyards owned by Domaine Ponsot at this stage.

What about the vineyards owned by Domaine Ponsot?

Sources

• Wine Spectator – Exclusive: Laurent Ponsot Leaves Family’s Burgundy Domaine and Opens New Winery

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A bit of background on Domaine Ponsot

Domaine Ponsot is owned by Laurent Ponsot and his sisters, Rose-Marie, Catherine and Stéphanie Ponsot. Domaine Ponsot currently produce a portfolio wines from both own vineyards and some vineyards they have in metayage from different owners.

A large part of these come from Domaine des Chezeaux in Gevrey-Chambertin – as they are the owner of the plots in Chambertin, Gritotte-Chambertin and Clos St. Denis. Ponsot have had these vineyards in metayage since 1982.

Laurent Ponsot began working at the family estate in 1981 gradually taking over from his father Jean-Marie Ponsot.

Lastest Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de Vougeot 2002 May 10, 2019
• Domaine Ponsot, Chapelle Chambertin 1999 May 9, 2019
• Domaine Ponsot, Griotte Chambertin 2008 September 28, 2017
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 1993 February 15, 2016
• Domaine Ponsot, Griotte Chambertin 1998 November 2, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Chapelle Chambertin 1998 November 2, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 1998 October 31, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 2003 October 30, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 1996 October 28, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee l’Abeille 2007 March 30, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 2012 March 10, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Griotte-Chambertin 1999 February 15, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 1999 February 14, 2015
• Domaine Ponsot, Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee l’Abeille 2001 December 3, 2014
• Domaine Ponsot, Morey Les Alouettes 2011 March 10, 2014
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 2011 February 27, 2014
• Domaine Ponsot, Chambolle Les Charmes 1999 August 25, 2013
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes 2000 April 2, 2013
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes 2010 March 1, 2013
• Domaine Ponsot, Griotte Chambertin 2002 October 18, 2012
• Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche 1993 March 19, 2012
• Sips and Samples – week 43 – 2011 October 28, 2011
• Domaine Ponsot Morey Saint Denis Cuvee des Alouettes 1999 July 5, 2011