Domaine Jean-Baptiste Ponsot is a 8.5 hectares estate located on the best slopes of the Rully appellation, in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy. Jean-Baptiste Ponsot is the winemaker of the domaine. He farms the vineyards according to non-certified sustainable principles.

Jean-Baptiste Ponsot’s wines are elegant, fleshy, succulent and accessible.

The top wines of the domaine are: Rully Premier Cru Molesme, Rully Premier Cru Montpalais, and Rully en Bas de Vauvry.

The Rully en Bas de Vauvry 2014 scored 91, the Rully Premier Cru Molesme 2017 scored 89+, and the Rully Premier Cru Montpalais 2017 scored 89 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Rully en Bas de Vauvry 2014: “The 2014 Rully Blanc En Bas de Vauvry has a well defined bouquet with red apple and dried apricot aromas, a little spicier than other Rully 2014s that I have encountered (thus far!). The palate is well balanced and vibrant in the mouth with a fine line of acidity. There is good tension here, a fine line of mineralité and such freshness and salinity on the finish that you beg another sip. This is one of several Rully whites that really seems to have exploited the 2014 vintage. Bravo, Jean-Baptiste!”

Jean-Baptiste Ponsot is responsible for the winemaking at Domaine Jean-Baptiste Ponsot.

The estate was founded in 1954 by Jean-Baptiste Ponsot’s grandfather, Lucien Ponsot. Lucien Ponsot was succeeded by Bernard Ponsot. Jean-Baptiste Ponsot is the grandson of the founder. He took over the domaine in 2000 when he was 20 years old. He moved from selling wines in bulk to complete harvest bottling starting in 2013.

He focused a lot on planting the vineyards and modernizing the winemaking facilities. Jean-Baptiste Ponsot’ built a new winery and cellar in 2005.

The vineyards of Domaine Jean-Baptiste Ponsot are farmed according to sustainable principles, without herbicide usage. The vineyards haven’t obtained their certifications yet. Two-thirds of wines made at the domaine are white.

The yields are strictly controlled, and the soils are ploughed and aerated. The printing is done following Guyot and Cordon principles, which helps increase the leaf surface height. The sorting is done twice: in the vineyards and in the cellar.

The reds are cold-macerated from 4 to 6 days; then the maceration is done at 27°C, which is finished in a few days at 30°C. Then the vatting lasts for 21 days. After pressing, the wine is barreled for 12 months, where malolactic fermentation occurs.

After pressing, the white must is decanted for 24 hours; then, it is put directly into barrels for the alcoholic fermentation at a temperature of 20°C. The bâtonnage is done according to the vintages — the wine ages 12 months in oak barrels.