Due to be bottled in April, the 2017 Chambertin Grand Cru wafts from the glass with a brooding bouquet of cassis, sweet spices, grilled meats and rich soil tones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and concentrated with excellent intensity, fine-grained but abundant structuring tannins and a long finish that's still quite primary. It isn't quite as expansive and multidimensional as the domaine's Chapelle-Chambertin, but it's a very fine example of this micro-cuvée.

The 2015 Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru, from vines planted in 1961, has an extravagant bouquet with small red cherries, wild strawberry and raspberry jam, nicely defined with commendable purity. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe red cherry and strawberry drive on the entry, fine mineralité and tension with a slightly brusque but nicely detailed finish. Give this 4-5 years in bottle.

The 2014 Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru comprises of two barrels this year. It bears the most semblance to the 2014 Chapelle-Chambertin on the nose, those bunches of roses popping up once again, accompanied by raspberry preserve and strawberry scents, later just a suggestion of Thai fish oil. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, supple tannin. This is clean and precise, quite spicy towards the finish that has very fine depth, though maybe it does not quite possess (or is hiding) that killer X-factor on the finish that reverts to something more conservative. A Chambertin that is serious and will demand several years in bottle.

The expanded title of the 2013 Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru suggests that the vines have come of age. Conversely, it has an understated bouquet that comes across a little broody out of barrel, yet but delineated and very focused, furnished with wilted flower petals in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and lithe tannins, reserved at first but fanning out with conviction on the finish. There are copious black brambly fruit here mixed with minerals and subtle tertiary notes. This should turn out to be an intriguing Grand Cru.

The 2012 Chambertin Vieilles Vignes (vines planted in 1961) has a vivacious bouquet, quite floral at the moment with wonderful definition and vigour. The palate is bursting full of red cherries, redcurrant jam and a lovely aniseed note lining the finish that fans out with style. There is a lot of energy in this barrel sample, with superb definition and focus. This is a riveting, convincing Chambertin that may garner a couple more points with bottle age. Laurent Ponsot, when he is not the Lone Ranger fighting alleged fraud, is busy making wine in his own individual way from his winery perched on the higher reaches overlooking Morey village. As ever, he is refreshingly candid in his views, passionate about the tenets he applies to winemaking, but always counterbalanced with tongue-in-cheek humor. I concentrated on the premier and grand cru 2012s since he was just about to bottle his village crus after one year and they were not ready. He told me that he commenced picking on 3 October, several days later than most winemakers, a date that he assured me he knew as far back as June due to natural indicators, whatever they may be. Yields averaged around 19 hectoliters per hectare, lower for the grand crus, while his famous Aligote from Monts Luisants was wiped out by oidium not from the vines, but from the nearby forest that pricked the flavor of the wine. (I did mischievously quip that I knew of someone in the United States who might be able to rustle some up if so desired – I could not help myself). What I like about Laurent’s wines is that they are edgy, uncompromising, occasionally “Marmite” wines that perhaps like the man himself, goes out to divide opinion and create debate. His strict use of old barrels combined with a dizzying array of grand crus combine to create distinct wines that tend to wear their heart of their sleeves. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802, Atherton Wine Imports (CA) and through Geodhuis & Co in the UK.