Laurent Ponsot

History of Domaine Laurent Ponsot

The story of Laurent Ponsot is written in two chapters. The first begins in 1981, when he joined Domaine Ponsot, founded by his great-grandfather William Ponsot in 1872 in Morey-Saint-Denis. From 1983 onwards, he took charge of the winemaking. Under his direction, Domaine Ponsot became one of the absolute benchmarks of the Côte de Nuits, celebrated for its Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, its Clos Saint-Denis Très Vieilles Vignes and the only white Premier Cru in Burgundy made from Aligoté, the Clos des Monts-Luisants. A larger-than-life figure, Laurent Ponsot also distinguished himself through his decisive contribution to the arrest of forger Rudy Kurniawan in 2013, an affair that would inspire the Netflix documentary "Sour Grapes".

In 2017, at the age of 60, Laurent Ponsot left the family estate (now run by his sister Rose-Marie) to found, with his son Clément and his children, his own house: Laurent Ponsot, based in Gilly-lès-Cîteaux. At once an estate and a haute couture négociant, the house produces around 70,000 to 80,000 bottles per year from an estate vineyard of approximately 7 hectares and from hand-picked grape purchases sourced from winemaker friends who share the same philosophy. No fewer than 26 Burgundian appellations are now offered, from regional Burgundy to the most prestigious Grand Crus, making Laurent Ponsot one of the most distinctive and widely covered names in contemporary Burgundy.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Laurent Ponsot

Domaine Laurent Ponsot covers an exceptional viticultural geography, sweeping across the greatest terroirs of the Côte d'Or. In the Côte de Nuits, the estate develops its cuvées across Gevrey-Chambertin (with the climates En Ergot and Combe au Moine), Chambolle-Musigny (with Les Charmes and Les Sentiers as Premiers Crus), Vosne-Romanée (with Les Beaux Monts), Vougeot Premier Cru, and Saint-Romain. The Grand Crus, the jewels of the house, include Bonnes-Mares, Clos de Vougeot, Échezeaux, Charmes-Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, Griotte-Chambertin, Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze. In the Côte de Beaune, the offering unfolds around Beaune Premier Cru, Meursault (with the Premiers Crus Genevrières, Charmes, Perrières and Blagny), the Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne, and reaches its zenith with Bâtard-Montrachet and Montrachet.

This diversity rests on two pillars: an estate vineyard of approximately 7 hectares made up of plots taken by Laurent Ponsot when he left the family estate, and rigorous sourcing from partner winemakers selected for their shared philosophy. The vines are tended according to the principles of organic farming, with a strong respect for lunar cycles and a biodynamic approach without certification. All cuvées bear the name of a tree, flower or plant — a poetic tribute to nature and the legacy of a man who, as a child, used to wander through the Clos de la Roche collecting grass snakes.

Winemaking at Domaine Laurent Ponsot

Laurent Ponsot's winemaking philosophy rests on a radical principle: "haute couture" without interventionism. The winemaker practises very late harvests, being systematically among the last to pick in the Côte de Nuits, in order to achieve optimal ripeness. In the cellar, fermentations and ageing take place without any addition of sulphites; instead, the winemaker uses a neutral gas to protect the wines in barrel. The barrels used are exclusively old (10 years and above): Laurent Ponsot categorically rejects new oak, which he likens to an "artificial flavour extract" that distorts the expression of terroir.

The wines are neither fined nor filtered, and are bottled according to lunar phases (waning moon combined with a northerly wind). Another hallmark: an innovative synthetic cork, the fruit of more than 20 years of personal research, which ensures controlled and consistent oxygenation to optimise ageing. The whole is dressed in futuristic silver and green labels, deeply atypical for Burgundy. This approach gives rise to wines that are dense, concentrated, expressive and remarkably fresh despite the late harvests, revealing their full greatness after several years of cellaring.

The Cuvées of Domaine Laurent Ponsot

Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée du Perce Neige: a regional Chardonnay sourced from several Burgundian lieu-dits. Saline, concentrated and precise, with no new oak, no fining or filtration, demonstrating that regional Burgundy can rival superior appellations.

Saint-Romain Blanc: a delicate cuvée from the appellation close to the heart of the Ponsot family (William Ponsot being a native of Saint-Romain). A fresh, saline Chardonnay with chalky minerality — the perfect entry point into the white wine range.

Meursault Cuvée du Pandoréa: a village-level blend sourced from several plots provided by 5 to 6 partner winemakers. An ample, deep and complex Meursault with an enchanting texture and a long, mineral finish.

Meursault-Blagny Cuvée du Myosotis: a Meursault situated on the tauter, more mineral climat of Blagny, which expresses its distinct identity here. A floral, fresh and saline wine of great energy — one of the most vibrant cuvées in the range.

Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières: an emblematic Premier Cru from Meursault, combining richness, depth and finesse. A balanced wine blending citrus, white flowers and minerality, built for ageing.

Meursault Premier Cru Charmes Cuvée de la Centaurée: a Premier Cru sourced from five suppliers covering the entire climat. Floral, broad and luxuriously textured, this Charmes offers depth, muscle and a long, persistent finish.

Meursault Premier Cru Perrières: the summit of the Meursault terroir, Perrières produces here a mineral, vertical and deep wine of crystalline purity. A masterful expression of the appellation's most aristocratic climat.

Corton-Charlemagne Cuvée du Kalimeris: a white Grand Cru assembled from 6 suppliers representing the main exposures of the Charlemagne. A floral, structured and ample wine with saline freshness and monumental length.

Bâtard-Montrachet Cuvée des Lilas: a Grand Cru from Chassagne and Puligny, a wine of volume and presence, deeply floral and muscular. A fully realised expression of one of Burgundy's greatest white climates.

Montrachet Cuvée des Orchidées: the absolute pinnacle of the range, the mythical Montrachet. A wine of infinite intensity, depth and length — an architectural monument combining power, chalky sap and ineffable refinement.

Bourgogne Rouge Cuvée des Peupliers: a regional Pinot Noir blended from around ten plots. Neither fined nor filtered, this Burgundy offers pure aromas of cherry and red fruits, a balanced concentration and a surprising length for the price of a regional wine.

Saint-Romain Rouge: a Pinot Noir from this discreet appellation in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. A fresh, floral and delicate wine that reveals the little-known quality of Saint-Romain in red.

Beaune Premier Cru Cuvée du Noyer: a blend of 8 Premiers Crus from the three hills of Beaune. A mineral, dark Pinot Noir with striking cleanliness, fine acidity and an elegant, elongated finish.

Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée l'Aulne: a village-level Gevrey wine crafted from around ten plots, some of which are estate-owned. A direct, intense wine with silky yet present tannins and a gourmand finish characteristic of Gevrey tannins.

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru En Ergot Cuvée du Mélèze: an airy and sophisticated Premier Cru from Gevrey, endowed with fine depth and concentrated substance. A refined expression of the appellation.

Gevrey-Chambertin Combe au Moine: a recognised climat of Gevrey situated on the heights. A fresh, elegant and structured wine with the mineral signature typical of the higher terroirs of the appellation.

Chambolle-Musigny Cuvée La Violette: a village-level Chambolle assembled from around ten components. A wine of elevation and energy, lightly tannic but never structural, with the floral delicacy that is the appellation's signature.

Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Charmes Cuvée du Tilleul: an airy and silky Premier Cru with cushioned aromatic clarity. Subtle structuring tannin, concentration, a long finish — a great Charmes patiently crafted.

Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Sentiers Cuvée du Sorbier: a Premier Cru neighbouring the Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares. An elegant, silken wine with a pure nose, a more sinuous and muscular structure — an athlete among the Chambolles.

Vougeot Premier Cru: a rare Premier Cru from the Vougeot appellation, expressing a delicate, fresh and precise Pinot Noir with a fine mineral framework.

Vosne-Romanée Cuvée du Cerisier: a village-level Vosne-Romanée with a pale colour, an open, airy and deep nose. A broad palate with a splendid texture and a complex finish — one of the estate's greatest successes at village level.

Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts: an emblematic Premier Cru climat from Vosne-Romanée. A deep Pinot Noir with noble sap, bewitching perfumes and an exceptional ageing structure — the hallmark of one of the most prestigious climates of the Côte de Nuits.

Clos de Vougeot Cuvée du Cèdre: a Grand Cru from the famous historic Clos. A deep, dense wine with rich sap and thoroughbred tannins — a fully realised expression of this monument of the Côte de Nuits.

Échezeaux: a Grand Cru from Vosne-Romanée of aristocratic finesse. A fragrant, complex wine with an elegant framework and remarkable length.

Charmes-Chambertin: a Grand Cru from Gevrey with fleshy sap and brilliant fruit. A wine combining Burgundian power and delicacy, built for long ageing.

Latricières-Chambertin: a Grand Cru neighbouring Chambertin, tauter and more mineral. A deep, structured Pinot Noir with great ageing potential and noble freshness.

Mazis-Chambertin: a particularly noble Grand Cru from Gevrey, with a thoroughbred tannic structure and fruit of great purity. A majestic wine for long ageing.

Griotte-Chambertin: an intimate and delicate Grand Cru from Gevrey, renowned for its cherry aromas (the griotte). A fragrant, silky, deep wine — one of the historic cuvées dear to Laurent Ponsot.

Chambertin: the King of Burgundy wines. A Grand Cru of monumental intensity, complexity and length, combining power, finesse and majesty.

Chambertin Clos de Bèze: a Grand Cru neighbouring and equal to Chambertin. A Pinot Noir of great depth, with noble sap and infinite length — an absolute monument of the Côte de Nuits.

Bonnes-Mares: a Grand Cru straddling Chambolle-Musigny and Morey-Saint-Denis. A wine of power and elegance, blending the delicacy of Chambolle with the depth of Morey, with a near-infinite ageing potential.