2005 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
By Ponsot
2005 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot, Burgundy
The year 2005 in Burgundy stands as one of the most illustrious vintages, and the 2005 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot is a profoundly eloquent testament to this claim. Destined for longevity, this Grand Cru emerges from the old vines with a compelling narrative of concentration and grace.
Exquisite expression of time and terroir
In the glass, the wine unfolds like vintage prose, with layers of dark fruit, undergrowth and a seductive earthiness that speak of Clos St Denis's storied terroir. The beauty of this vintage lies in its impeccable balance - a harmony struck between the intensity of ripe Pinot Noir and the finesse that defines Ponsot’s winemaking philosophy.
The climatic conditions of 2005 gifted us with a growing season that was near mythological in its perfection; moderate heat, balanced rainfall, and an unhurried harvest culminating in wines of extraordinary ripeness yet unwavering structure. In this context, the 2005 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru glistens with well-knit tannins and a vibrancy that hints at its unwavering potential for appreciation.
Striking complexity; an investor's delight
A careful investment in this Ponsot masterpiece ensures not only the possession of one of Burgundy's crowning jewels but also an addition that promises evolution in both palate and portfolio. Beyond its sumptuous array of cherry, licorice, and blooming violet notes is a wine that will stand as a benchmark for those seeking the pinnacle of vinous sophistication from this fabled region and exceptional vintage.
In summary, the 2005 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot is a wine that shimmers with the intricate precision of its birthright year. It’s a compelling narrative in a bottle, offering fine wine investors an opportunity to own a slice of Burgundian excellence that will impress upon both collectors and connoisseurs for decades to come.
Market price (CAD)
$20,540.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
771.25
Scores and tasting notes
The 2005 Clos St.-Denis Cuvee du Centenaire – from vines planted in 1905 – is remarkable for the intensity and richness of its black fruit and exotically floral nose, its creaminess and almost Esszencia-like glycerin-richness, unctuousness, and viscosity, sumptuous flavors of black fruits, game, brown spices, blond tobacco, and preserved walnut, and a finish with prominent fruit pit bitterness but exhibiting remarkable subtlety. There is a Riesling-like intricacy of fruit-mineral interplay outlasting the sheer, stubborn clinging richness of fruit. Alas, a mere 125 cases will be bottled of this amazing wine. 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