Laurent Ponsot Échezeaux Cuvée de L’Érable 2020 2021

Laurent Ponsot is one of Burgundy's most respected names, and this red comes from the Echezeaux Grand Cru vineyard on the Cote de Nuits. Pinot Noir is the sole grape, grown on the limestone and marl slopes that give the region's finest reds their elegance and length. The cool continental climate ripens the thin-skinned Pinot slowly, holding its acidity and building the perfumed red fruit and earthy complexity that mark a Grand Cru site. The combination of poor limestone soils, old vines and low yields concentrates the fruit while keeping it fine rather than heavy. The wine is aged in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannins and adds a restrained spice and toast, with the oak kept in the background to let the terroir lead. At 12.5 percent this is a wine of finesse, not power. Expect translucent ruby colour, a nose of red cherry, raspberry, rose and forest floor, and a silky, layered palate with fine tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees in a large glass. It is a classic match for game birds, duck and mushrooms.