Domaine Ponsot : Clos Vougeot Grand cru "Vieilles Vignes" 2020

Tasting notes and serving suggestions for Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Vieilles Vignes" 2020 from Domaine Ponsot

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep ruby red hue with characteristic violet highlights.

Nose

The bouquet is complex and exuberant, unfolding aromas of wild berries, black cherries, and raspberries. Smoky and spicy notes accompany these fruity fragrances, while hints of aromatic herbs, leather, and tobacco add further depth. Subtle nuances of toasted wood and orange zest round out this sophisticated aromatic palette.

Palate

On the palate, this wine impresses with its powerful structure and character. The attack is full-bodied, revealing a generous core of fruit framed by abundant yet remarkably fine tannins. Flavors of mixed black fruits intertwine with notes of spice, leather, and tobacco. A slight mineral touch brings freshness and textural complexity, while bright acidity ensures balance and extends the finish with resonant length. The wine’s youth shows through a certain austerity, promising beautiful evolution.

Food and wine pairings

This Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Vieilles Vignes" 2020 pairs beautifully with game meats such as roe deer or venison. It also goes wonderfully with herb-roasted poultry, choice cuts of beef such as côte de bœuf or striploin, as well as characterful Burgundian cheeses such as Époisses.

Serving and cellaring

For optimal enjoyment of Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Vieilles Vignes" 2020, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Extended decanting is advised if consumed in its youth. This wine calls for patience and will benefit from at least a decade of aging in the cellar to fully reveal its complexity.

A powerful, profound Burgundy Grand Cru from Domaine Ponsot

The estate

Founded in 1872, Domaine Ponsot is among Burgundy’s most prestigious estates. Based in Morey-Saint-Denis in the heart of the Côte de Nuits, this family-run estate farms around eight hectares of vineyards, including an exceptional proportion of Grands Crus. Now led by Rose-Marie Ponsot, supported by her son William and technical director Alexandre Abel, the estate perpetuates a philosophy of minimal intervention and deep respect for the terroir. A pioneer in Pinot Noir clonal selection and in estate bottling as early as 1921, Domaine Ponsot has also distinguished itself through its commitment to combating wine counterfeiting. Renowned for late harvesting and its refusal to use new oak, it produces wines of remarkable authenticity, praised by international critics.

The vineyard

Clos Vougeot is an emblematic Grand Cru of the Côte de Nuits, located between Morey-Saint-Denis and Vosne-Romanée. Domaine Ponsot owns parcels there in the Climat "Petit Maupertuis", ideally positioned beneath Grands-Échézeaux. This terroir benefits from a privileged exposure and optimal drainage over marl soils with a limestone component, giving the wines a distinctive minerality. The vines of Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Vieilles Vignes" are around 50 years old, producing concentrated, complex grapes. The Cistercian heritage of Clos de Vougeot, whose winegrowing dates back to the 11th century, continues to influence contemporary practices on this exceptional terroir.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage proved exceptional in Bourgogne, marked by early budbreak following a mild winter. The growing season, punctuated by frost episodes in certain areas, experienced phenological compression due to heat. For Domaine Ponsot, 2020 represented the first harvest in its history to begin in August, with the red grapes picked between August 28 and 31. Despite this unusual precocity for the estate, the vintage produced powerful, concentrated wines, with yields naturally reduced by around 50% compared to normal. This combination of preserved freshness and heightened concentration created optimal conditions for crafting wines that unite power and refinement.

Vinification and aging

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Vieilles Vignes" 2020 was vinified according to Domaine Ponsot’s principles, favoring respect for the fruit and the terroir. The grapes, hand-harvested into small wicker baskets, fermented in temperature-controlled vats with punch-downs at the beginning of fermentation, followed by daily pump-overs. Total maceration lasted from 7 to 15 days depending on fermentation kinetics, with temperatures reaching 31-32°C at the end of fermentation. Aging took place in older barrels from 10 to 50 years of age, excluding any new oak, for 18 to 30 months with a single racking. Minimal sulfur use and the absence of filtration preserve the wine’s authenticity and aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir