2009 Domaine Ponsot Charmes Chambertin Cuvee Des Merles

Domaine Ponsot was founded in 1872 when William Ponsot returned from the Franco-Prussian war and bought an estate in Morey-Saint-Denis on the Cote de Nuit, in Burgundy. The Ponsots began bottling estate wine in 1934, much earlier than most Burgundy producers, and today the estate is still owned and operated by the Ponsot family. Laurent Ponsot has been in charge since 1983 and the estate now includes some 27 acres. Clive Coates has called it “one of the most individual domaines in Burgundy” because of late picking, the practice of retaining up to 25% stems, fermenting at high temperatures and using new oak, among other policies. The estate makes highly regarded premier cru and village wines. Of special note is a premier cru blanc made, in recent years, entirely of Aligote. Older vintages include 20 - 30% Chardonnay.

Charmes-Chambertin is a 78-acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin that traditionally includes the acreage of nearby Mazoyeres-Chambertin. For nearly 200 years the growers of Mazoyeres have been legally allowed to sell their wines under the more famous name of Charmes-Chambertin, and virtually all of them do. Charmes-Chambertin is the largest of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus, and it generally has an excellent reputation. The slope of the vineyard is gentle and the surface soil poor. But producers including Joseph Roty, Christian Serafin, Domaine Dujac, Faiveley and Joseph Drouhin are acclaimed for their Charmes Chambertin. Principal landholders are Camus, with 14.75 acres; Perrot-Minot, 4 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.5 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.