There is a lovely deep colour here (as with many of the 2019s) and marvellous aromas of ripe cassis. The purity of fruit is impressive – chief winemaker Alexandre Abel relates that, despite the heat, there were no shrivelled grapes or sunburn. The texture is silky and fine, but there is also remarkable power and length. Don't be fooled by the apparent approachability here – this is a wine built to age for decades. Picked in several passes on the 22nd and 23rd of September and bottled in July 2021.

A cool, pure and highly complex nose combines aromas of essence of plum liqueur, black cherry, violet, earth and plenty of spice components. The sense of refinement continues on the sleek, succulent and almost lacy mineral-driven and wonderfully textured medium weight flavors that deliver superb persistence on the exceptionally firm, beautifully balanced and youthfully austere finale. It's not all the time that Clos de la Roche is described as a wine of class, but in 2019, this wine has that highly desirable attribute. In a word, terrific.

Ponsot's 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes was picked in multiple passages, beginning with earlier-ripening massale selections on September 17, followed by the rest of the domaine's holdings on September 22–23. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet raspberries and plums mingled with licorice, peony and cinnamon, it's full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and a long, saline finish. This is aging gracefully and underlines the additional precision Alex Abel has brought to Ponsot's winemaking in recent years. - William Kelley

The domaine started picking on 17th September, bringing in their Clos de la Roche on 22nd and 23rd. The grapes were sorted to remove any wrinkled skins. This wine was bottled on 8th July 2021. It shows a clear fresh vibrant crimson colour. There is some feeling of oak though as ever there are only older barrels. Red berry fruits, tightly wound, all red fruit not black, some tannins, then a growing sweetness with even a slight peach nose. Ripe and crunchy at the same time. Boysenberry, then damson, still with the marked acidity.

The 2019 Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru (picked from 17 September) is 100% de-stemmed and was racked in May and then bottled in July 2021. It has a very perfumed bouquet of cranberry and boysenberry. It's slightly confit in style, with just a splash of balsamic in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and taut on the entry, with slightly grainy tannins and a subtle balsamic vein that keeps it on its toes. A light touch of black pepper emerges after five minutes. Not enormous depth on the finish or grip, yet considering the growing season, there is appreciable crunchiness and bite. Tasted at Ponsot's 150th anniversary vertical at the Domaine. -- Neal Martin