Anyone have an inside scoop on this rumor? I saw it posted by one of the admins of the Burgundy group on FB without attribution. He is apparently leaving to start a winery with his son. Doesn’t really make sense to me, although I don’t know what the ownership situation is.
EDIT: Seems to be confirmed by a few people with direct contact with Laurent himself.
Really? I thought he was the owner of Domaine Ponsot with his sisters though, why would he leave? Unless he sold his shares? - which would be hard to believe
According to the source, who has had a relationship with Laurent for decades, the Domaine is family owned. So it sounds like family fighting, similar to what the Lakers are going through. Just about all of us assumed it was Laurent calling all shots, but apparently he has a Jim Buss of his own (or more) to deal with.
His father was a known tyrant when he was in charge. I doubt he ever gave up being in charge, though Laurent gets all the press. (Whether Laurent is also difficult…who knows!) It is clearly a family enterprise that started in generations prior to his father.
I met the father once…in 1988…he wasn’t too pleasant or charming.
This is all pretty common in Burgundy. The specifics are not, nor is the division of any rights, if that is triggered here.
To me, Laurent Ponsot IS Domaine Ponsot. Hopefully this is all just hearsay though.
Very often, in Burgundy particularly, but in Alsace and the Rhone, too…the face of the estate is only the tip of an iceberg of ownership. Dom. Roumier is the best example…mostl of the holdings have different combinations of owners.
Agree, but it’s looking pretty grim as more than one person close to Laurent are now confirming.
Laurent’s new project will apparently take only very
few holdings with no CdlR, though one figures he’d at least attempt to buy CdlR grapes.
Domaine Ponsot - Laurant = Not Domaine Ponsot.
These things happen. Maybe there can be a reconciliation/resolution ala Niepoort.
Well, he’s a good wine maker so if we’re lucky he’ll go somewhere and make Syrah! Too bad about the family dispute though - nice way to ruin a reputation that was built over generations.
One could argue he already sort of makes Syrah. He’s often the last one to pick his grapes and the wines are invariably too “dark fruited” for my liking.
A friend just confirmed he received an e mail confirming that he left. No details beyond that.
IMHO, if he was forced out, as I am hearing, what a stupid decision. One of the best and most experienced winemakers in all of Burgundy, impossible to replace. The only possible way this makes sense is to deal with duties and inheritance taxes, in which case, the domaine would have to be sold.
When I found out about this, my first reaction was “they’re selling”. As others have noted, family ownership of these things is very complicated (if you’ve ever navigated family property with just siblings, you know this, now imagine it with cousins in the mix too) and the money on offer these days is staggering. I would be very surprised if the domain is not sold.
Laurent Ponsot to Maison Ilan? ![[blink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/10e99773136c8c7c26d8a4f3ea716e27704e295a.gif "blink"){kind=small}
Well, somebody was finally clearing out the house in Nuits on Monday 
IMO, Ponsot is Leoville Las Case of Burgundy, i.e. modern, clean and takes forever to reach the peak.
This would suck if it is a family squabble. Same thing happened to Eberle, but luckily Gary has gotten it back once again with other family members.
Family - you can’t live with them and . . .
Sorry, do not understand the comparison at all. We did a Ponsot vertical last year, where the wines from 1993 backwards were already nicely maturing, almost the same rate as I would expect Rousseau and Dujac.
Las Cases tends to be incredibly tannic, and has an angularity to it with almost every vintage I have tasted. With the exception of 1996, the wines tend to be difficult and rarely seem mature. OTOH, with Ponsot, there is a pent up lusciousness to them, which came through in examples such as 1993, 1990 and 1989 Clos de la Roches, and I was seeing also in the brilliant 1999, which is beginning to shed its tannic mantle.
My point is Las Cases and Ponsot both age very slowly. I have had a good bit of the 93 Rousseau and they were always quite enjoyable. Ponsot wines on the other hand take a long time to shed the dark ripe fruit. Grant that Ponsot has been inconsistent, can you think of post '93 Ponsots that are mature and enjoyable, especially compare to Rousseu wines?
More details coming out…he has left Domaine Ponsot and is starting his own label, Laurent Ponsot, with his son starting in 2017, taking a good deal of the negociant arm of the Domaine with him.
What we don’t know is the extent of the family squabble (he owns 25% of Domaine Ponsot along with 3 siblings), and/or if this is best for all in regards to inheritance. Also no word yet on if Domaine Ponsot will be sold.
The full list of wines is coming out soon, but here’s what I’m hearing from a journalist who spoke with Ponsot earlier this morning:
The new Laurent Ponsot label will supposedly debut with 7 reds, including Griotte Chambertin, Chambertin, and Clos St. Denis, all of which I believe are more or less the same sources he’s been working with.
9 whites, including Montrachet, Corton Charlemagne, and here’s the biggie 4 Meursault’s! I believe I heard all were 1er Cru. Anyhow, these details are coming out momentarily.
The new label figures to produce about 1/3 of the wine currently made at the Domaine, with plans to expand over time.
Here’s the WS article…nicely done Peter!