2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
By Ponsot
2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot, Burgundy, France
As observers and admirers of the alchemy between nature and vintner prowess, we find in the 2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot a testament to the resilience and finesse of Burgundian winemaking. The vintage of 2012 was marked by its trials—spring frosts, hails and a sultry summer. Yet, amidst these tribulations, Ponsot eloquently crafted a limited yield of this revered Grand Cru, enhancing its allure for ardent collectors and investors.
A Robust Vintage With Delicate Nuances
Upon greeting the 2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot, one is immediately struck by its arresting bouquet—a mélange of dark cherries and a whisper of earthy truffle. Elegantly defying a challenging growing season, this wine is at once robust and poetic, its depths uncovered with each contemplative sip. Distinguishing itself from other years, the 2012 offers a captivatingly harmonious balance between strength and subtlety.
A Confluence of Contrasts
The palatal narrative follows a similar theme—ashen notes juxtaposed exquisitely against a vibrant acidity. Its innate tension is an embodiment of 2012's climatic swings; a dance between the warmth that concentrated its flavours and the cool evenings that bestowed it with its firm tannic structure. The warm vintage gifted this Grand Cru with ripe fruit profiles without forsaking freshness—eclectic yet coherent.
The wine's well-crafted structure invites ageing, promising maturation grace over time. Such longevity only accentuates its promise as both a sensory journey for oenophiles and a prudent addition for soigne wine portfolios.
A Savoury Investment into Terroir Mastery
In sum, the 2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot is an opus of terroir expressed through vintage character—it resonates with the history of its year, offering layered complexity that promises evolution through decades. As it resides gracefully in the cellar, it’s poised to become a luminary asset for investment-minded connoisseurs seeking both pleasure and performance nested within their collections.
Market price (CAD)
$6,470.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
243.13
Scores and tasting notes
Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Laurent Ponsot has an extravagant, generous nose with hints of kirsch and raisin infusing the cranberry and blueberry fruit. Fortunately it does seem to calm down in the glass, rein in some of that nascent enthusiasm. The palate is sweet on the entry with red fruit, marmalade and dried orange peel. This is a grand cru that just wants to go out and please, a sexy Pinot Noir that does not hold back, which is what you want from this grand cru. This is a tempting offering, so much so that it is easy to overlook its pedigree.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 October 2015