Collection: Laurent Ponsot’s Haute Couture Burgundy

In a region deeply attached to hierarchy, lineage, and tradition, Laurent Ponsot occupies a singular place in Burgundy. Part historian, part iconoclast, part scientist, and entirely uncompromising, his departure from the family business as the much-fêted fourth-generation winemaker at Domaine Ponsot in 2017 left many aghast. And while the launch of an eponymous “haute couture” négociant house appeared paradoxical to some, for Laurent it was never tradition itself that mattered most so much as history – and the responsibility to protect it. Equipped with new freedom, the tools of 21st-century technology, and 2,000 years of Burgundian history firmly in mind, Ponsot’s wines represent a relentless pursuit of authenticity at every stage, from harvest to the glass.

Having had the opportunity to taste with Laurent personally this April, we found ourselves as compelled by the philosophy and obsessive rigor behind the project as by the wines themselves. The irony, perhaps, is that all of the precision, innovation, and technical sophistication surrounding these wines exists for a singular purpose: to interfere as little as possible.

From proprietary anti-counterfeit systems to the remarkable research behind his patented Ardea closure, the modern precision behind these wines consistently serves authenticity rather than manipulation. And yet another paradox emerges in Ponsot’s philosophy toward terroir itself. At a moment when Burgundy increasingly fetishizes single-vineyard identity, Ponsot instead borrows from the traditions of Champagne, assembling pristine fruit from both his own holdings and long-standing relationships to capture what he views as the most complete expression of place. Using his Corton-Charlemagne as an example, Laurent described sourcing fruit from twelve separate blocks across the appellation in pursuit of a more distilled expression of Corton-Charlemagne – not simply the voice of one parcel, but the true essence of the appellation as a whole.

The result is Burgundy that feels remarkably transparent to site and vintage while retaining a sense of vitality and energy that often disappears under heavier-handed winemaking. The 2020s, in particular, were deeply impressive. In a vintage that could easily have produced wines of excess, Ponsot’s bottlings showed striking clarity, freshness, and immediacy. Even at the Grand Cru level, there is already an openness and expressiveness that makes them genuinely enjoyable today, though the structure underneath suggests substantial longevity ahead.

Sotheby’s Wine is therefore pleased to present a limited selection of Laurent Ponsot wines now available here in the United States – a unique offering given how infrequently these wines appear domestically in meaningful quantities. Highlights include the superb 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Kalimeris, the layered and already captivating 2020 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru Cuvée du Saule, and the beautifully poised 2022 Bonnes Mares Cuvée de l’Amandier. At the village and regional levels, wines such as the 2019 Meursault Cuvée du Pandoréa and Bourgogne Cuvée du Perce-Neige offer an unusually accessible entry point into Laurent’s singular style and philosophy.

Alongside these retail releases awaits an even rarer opportunity by way of France.

This May, Sotheby’s France will present Laurent Ponsot Ex-Cellar | Haute Couture Burgundy | Never Released Large Formats, a landmark direct-from-cellar auction featuring 202 exclusive lots sourced directly from Laurent Ponsot’s personal reserves and pristine cellar holdings. Entirely large format, the sale will include never-before-released magnums and jeroboams from some of Burgundy’s most coveted terroirs, each rested undisturbed since bottling within Laurent Ponsot’s state-of-the-art cellar facility. The sale opens for online bidding on Friday, 15 May 2026 and culminates in an online-only auction on Friday, 29 May 2026 at 1:00pm CEST. With provenance as pristine and direct as collectors could realistically hope to encounter today from one of Burgundy’s most visionary and uncompromising winemakers – register to bid here or contact a specialist to learn more.