The Insider's Secret - Ponsot Value
2010 Chezeaux (Ponsot)
Griotte-Chambertin
The Only Bottles in the Country - One Small Parcel Only!
"This should be great in time as it has everything that it needs."
-Burghound
Ponsot makes some of the best red Burgundies around. And, looking at their prices, it's no secret to the world. Collectors chase them down with abandon.
However, there is a big secret that many Burgundy insiders have been hip to for some time. There are Ponsot bottlings that are bottled under the Chezeaux label that can be had for significantly less money.
Take today's offer, Chezeaux's 2010 Griotte-Chambertin, which is available for over $100 below the Ponsot-labeled Griotte.
And it's exactly the same wine - the only real difference is the label... and the price.
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How can something like this happen? This bottling is a product of the French practice of "métayage" - an arrangement where a wine is made in exchange for a percentage of the final product. Ponsot makes the wine from Chezeaux's land, and in return he gets two-thirds of the production, which he bottles under his own label.
All of this is even more important in the context of 2010, a much heralded vintage where yields were down an average of 30-40%. Basically, in 2010, we're looking at a sought after vintage where quantities are down and prices are up, so value and availability are more important than ever.
For lovers of classic Burgundy, the 2010s are well worth hunting down and paying for. The vintage is just so amazingly pure and transparent.
Griotte-Chambertin is one of the most elusive Grand Crus in Burgundy; it's the smallest Grand Cru in Gevrey at only 3 hectares in size. Just over a handful of producers even make wine in Griotte, but the roster is a testament to the quality of the terroir, the fascination it holds: Ponsot, Drouhin, Dugat, Fourrier, Roty, Jadot and Leclerc.
Ponsot's Griotte is one of our favorite bottlings in his stable. While the Clos de la Roche is muscular and deep, the Griotte is lighter, brighter. It has a simply gorgeous cherry perfume and a freshness that makes the wine feel almost bouncy even while it remains satiny and very, very elegant. Texturally, Ponsot's Griotte is ultra-fine, equal parts fruit and mineral.
This is particularly true of their 2010 Griotte. The wine has a clarity and texture that's just breathtaking. Burghound's note, which includes things like, "ultra-elegant and exceptionally pure.. [and] seductively textured" pretty much nails it.
Chezeaux's Griotte is one of the great values in Grand Cru Red Burgundy. If this bottling continues to cruise under-the-radar, it's because there's simply not enough wine around to spread the word.
That's certainly the case today - this is a very small parcel. As such, we can only send this offer to people who've supported our Burgundy program in the past. Still, it's likely that we'll have to make allocations. Please give us your ideal order and we'll try our best.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine &