2006 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
By Ponsot
2006 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot, Burgundy
In the pantheon of Burgundian viticulture, few wines solicit the respect and admiration quite like the 2006 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from Ponsot. While every vintage tells its own tale, 2006 stands proudly with its own unique narrative—the confluence of climatic rigor and enological precision.
Distinct Expression of a Unique Year
For fine wine investors and enthusiasts alike, comprehending the bespoke attributes of this specific harvest is paramount. The 2006 vintage graced Burgundy with challenges: a cool spring and summer, interspersed with bouts of warmth that fine-tuned the grape ripening process. Against all odds, this yielded a wine defined by intensity yet underscored with finesse—a hallmark of Ponsot’s mastery.
Distinguished Palate, Astute Investment
On decanting, the 2006 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes reveals a captivating bouquet; wafts of black cherries and ripe strawberries consort with an underlay of earthy truffles. On taste, it unfolds layers—a testament to its age—with silken tannins and a robust structure which maintains an astonishing vibrancy. What truly distinguishes this vintage in terms of wine investment is its ability to mature gracefully, increasing in complexity without losing its initial exuberance.
Indeed, this vintage's ageing potential is formidable; each year appears to knit the flavours closer together while still allowing for individual nuances to shine through. This amalgamation of attributes consistently enhances its investable allure.
In Closing: A Wine That Embodies Resilience and Elegance
The story of the 2006 vintage from Ponsot penned itself amidst climatic adversity but culminated in a narrative of triumph. For investors seeking pedigree combined with distinctive character, ethical appreciation aside, the 2006 Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru represents not just an indulgence for the senses but also a discerning addition to one’s portfolio. It is investments such as these that offer both tangible expression of terroir and robust potential for future pleasures.
Current market price
$7,540.00
12x75cl
Highest score
97
POP score
265.88
Scores and tasting notes
Sweetly ripe black fruits in the nose of the Ponsot 2006 Clos de La Roche Cuvee Vieilles Vignes prepare the way for a more succulently, generously sweet fruit, plush texture, and generally sunny disposition than that presented by the corresponding Clos St.-Denis. Ripe cherry and red currant flood the creamy, silken palate with sweetness, while some of the same notes of citrus oil, floral perfume (here iris), and peat as exhibited in the Clos St.-Denis swirl about, too. Saline, chalky suggestions help offer contrast and a sounding board to the fruit, and this finishes with exhilarating lift, riveting interplay, and phenomenal length. Here is a combination of textural allure and backbone for which velvet gloves and iron fists seem inappropriately mundane – not merely archaic – metaphors. Blind – I must confess (and did, to Ponsot) – that I would more likely have guessed this to be Musigny than Clos de la Roche. In an extreme instance of a phenomenon shared by many of the best 2006s, I find this irresistible now; find it hard to imagine its having ornery or sulking phases; yet expect it will be worth following for 20 years. Picking chez Ponsot began predictably late – on September 27 – and lasted until October 5. As might have been expected, Laurent Ponsot acted rigorously in the vineyards in the immediate aftermath of hail and eventually on the sorting table (overseen, he notes, by an especially meticulous team of three young women) to insure that any effects were minimized. (For some notes on the often unorthodox methods Ponsot employs, readers should consult my report in issue 170.) Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 21 December 2009