2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
By Ponsot
2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot, Burgundy, France
In the pantheon of Burgundy's exemplary vineyards, the 2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot stands as a testament to the exceptional potential of that region in an already lauded vintage year. As one delves into this sophisticated expression of Pinot Noir, one is transported through the tapestry of time and terroir.
Vintage Luminescence: A Study in Elegance
The wine academy of thought posits that extraordinary climatic events can lead to vintages of incomparable distinction. The 2005 growing season in Burgundy is such an event, wrought with auspicious conditions that have graced us with wines offering profound structure and longevity - key considerations for fine wine investors.
The 2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru encapsulates this climatic serendipity. This Ponsot masterpiece reveals a complex nose, redolent with dark cherry and ripe plum, entwined with more ethereal notes of violet and smoked spice. Such aromatic intricacy promises—and delivers—a palate layered with rich fruit, assertive tannins, and a finesse-driven finish.
Investment Worthy: A Triumph of Terroir
Connoisseurs and investors who cherish the pedigree of Ponsot will recognize that in the hands of this storied producer, the 2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru represents not only a sensory delight but a tangible asset. Age has woven subtlety into its once exuberant frame, now revealing silky tannins that support its resolute architecture.
Whether approached as an oenological exploration or as part of a diversified investment portfolio, this wine stands poised as a splendid example of Burgundy's confluence of place, producer, and time.
In conclusion, let it be said that for those immersed in the pursuit of oenological eminence or the artistry of investment harmony, the 2005 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot rises as an essential touchstone for both enthusiast and investor alike. An informed palate will discern its historical significance while foreseeing its unfolding apotheosis across coming decades.
Market price (CAD)
$19,920.00
12x75cl
Highest score
97
POP score
704.12
Scores and tasting notes
The estate’s flagship 2005 Clos de la Roche Cuvee Vieilles Vignes surges from the glass in an aromatic tidal wave of liqueur-like black raspberry essence, cinnamon spice, praline, chocolate and heady floral sweetness. Incontrovertibly fat and full, not about clarity or discretion but rather about thick, sumptuous layers of flavor that blanket the palate, this will not be every taster’s idea of a great Burgundy – or perhaps even a good time. Still, there is lift, bright juiciness and a sense of emerging elegance in a finish where sheer intensity and unabashed richness rule but neither the fruit nor tannins are the least bit coarse, and stony, chalky underpinnings break the surface with their own sort of austere beauty. (Thankfully, there is roughly ten times the amount of this wine as of Clos St.-Denis.) Laurent Ponsot (like his father) vinifies to the beat of a different drummer, whether it is in his employment of a basket press from 1945, his reliance on exclusively (truly) old barrels, his aggressive pigeage, or his virtual refusal (since 1988) to sulfur the wines (nitrogen and CO2 are administered at bottling). The results are as distinctive as the methods, but also profoundly impressive and proven to age magnificently. Certainly one has to adjust to a background level of chocolate and that lack of a certain “pep” that is otherwise conveyed, MSG-wise, to wines given a normal quota of sulfur during their elevage. But after a few samples – and especially when I re-tasted these wines “cold” at 7:00 A.M. – I was fully attuned to their virtues. The alcohols in 2005 are as high as 15%, but you do not notice it, even when told. Asked when he intends to bottle, Ponsot replies “I don’t know. Maybe one or two in the Spring, maybe before the harvest, maybe afterward.” Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802.
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 29 April 2007