2006 Clos St Denis Vieilles Vignes

The label of Ponsot's 2006 Clos St.-Denis Cuvee Tres Vieilles Vignes confirms that he has changed his approach to labeling a bit, since formerly – reflecting his aversion to "vieilles vignes" – this wine called "Cuvee du Centenaire." Here we have the sheer size and slightly gruff tannic grip of the corresponding Clos Vougeot combined with the nuance, intrigue, and exhilarating length of this year's Chambertin. Game, peat, forest floor, citrus oils, and high-toned kirsch and framboise practically assault the nose. Bitter-sweet tart berry fruit and myriad mineral shadings erupt on the palate, while the dark soil and animal low tones as well as the spirituous manifestations of fruit – joined by hints of floral perfume – persist all the way through to a finish of energetic lift as well as faintly gritty and tactilely spicy persistence. 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