A grive is the bird we call a thrush in English. Cuvée des Grives is one of the Ponsot family’s foundational wines, with the first-ever crop harvested in 1872! It’s a single-vineyard wine from a 0.35-hectare plot of vines just behind the Domaine’s Petit Château at the very top of the Morey slope. It’s easy to find on the map as this is the village-designated section of Monts Luisants, right above the Premier Cru area of the same climat (in fact, Monts Luisants is a vineyard that is partially village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru, the latter portion sitting in the Clos de la Roche appellation). The altitude is 350 metres, and the soil is extremely rocky, covered with Comblanchien limestone scree (calcaire à entroques). Shading and cool air flow from the forest also exert a strong influence.
All the points above contribute to a long ripening period, typically resulting in a highly perfumed, red fruited and mineral wine—a Pinot of the forest. It’s worth pointing out that most village wines in Burgundy—and indeed Morey—tend to come from 150-odd metres lower on the Côte, so this wine is rather unique. The Cuvée des Grives matured for 14 months in old barrels averaging 20 years. It’s always better after several years (at least) so decant if serving young. The 2023 is lovely with good flesh and the generosity of the vintage, but also the bright, juiciness of the terroir.