Domaine Ponsot : Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017 from Domaine Ponsot

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a brilliant ruby-red core, with darker nuances and slight orange highlights at the rim.

Nose

The nose is elegant and vibrant, expressing aromas of crushed raspberries and red cherries. Floral notes of hibiscus bring freshness, while hints of orange peel and citrus mingle with subtle nuances of cinnamon and fennel. The bouquet evolves toward wild red berries, accompanied by delicate peony fragrances.

Palate

On the palate, this wine offers a medium-to-full body with a supple, enveloping texture. Powdery tannins provide structure without harshness. Remarkable acidity lends freshness and vibrancy to the whole. Herbaceous notes enrich the aromatic palette, adding a savory dimension. The finish lingers with persistence and depth.

Food and wine pairings

This Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017 is an ideal match for duck breast, roasted poultry, a strip steak with Béarnaise sauce, or aged Gruyère. It also pairs beautifully with wild mushroom preparations and feathered game dishes.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve the Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017 at a temperature between 13 and 15°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but has a cellaring potential of around twenty years.

A generous yet delicate premier cru from Morey-Saint-Denis

The estate

Founded in 1872 by William Ponsot in Morey-Saint-Denis, the Domaine Ponsot is one of Burgundy’s most respected estates. Now run by Rose-Marie Ponsot, assisted by technical director Alexandre Abel and William Ponsot representing the fifth generation, the estate spans around eighteen hectares. A pioneer of estate bottling as early as 1934, the domaine stands out for its longstanding commitment to clonal research and its natural winemaking philosophy. Domaine Ponsot notably produces Burgundy’s only Aligoté premier cru, from Clos des Monts-Luisants.

The vineyard

The Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017 comes from the climat Monts Luisants, a parcel of about one hectare located just a few meters from the grand cru Clos de la Roche. The vines, around twenty-five years old, grow on lean clay-limestone soils dotted with scree and Comblanchien limestone. East-facing and set high on the slope, this terroir benefits from natural freshness and significant diurnal temperature variation.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Bourgogne was marked by favorable conditions that allowed winegrowers to harvest without haste. The year offered great flexibility in choosing picking dates, enabling optimal grape ripening. For red wines, 2017 produced elegant, aromatic expressions, with lighter bodies and silky tannins, creating wines that are both approachable in their youth and endowed with genuine aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest is carried out by hand in small wicker baskets, with rigorous sorting performed directly in the vineyard and again at the winery. The Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru "Cuvée des Alouettes" 2017 is vinified according to the estate’s natural winemaking principles. After destemming, the grapes ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled wooden vats for around three weeks, with punch-downs and pump-overs. Aging takes place over sixteen to twenty-four months in French oak barrels five to thirty years old, never new, in order to preserve the expression of the terroir. The wine is neither fined nor filtered and is protected by inert gases during bottling.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir