I feel churlish stopping one point short of a three-digit score for the magical 1980 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, which a wine of this quality would certainly merit in any other wine region; but Burgundy is all about nuance and shading, and one has to try to retain rigor and coherence, even in the face of a profoundly emotive bottle such as this. Wafting from the glass with a deep and carnal bouquet of wild berries, grilled meats, exotic spices, vine smoke and sweet forest floor, it's full-bodied, rich and layered, with huge concentration, deep reserves of sweet, powdery tannin and a long, resonant finish. If anyone's ever wondering what to bring to dinner, I'd settle for this. - William Kelley

The 1980 Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru, this time not consumed with pizza after completing the 10km race during Hospices de Beaune, has a very complex bouquet, though markedly different from the 1985. This is less sensual and more marine-influenced in style. Kelp/Japanese nori hints filter through the darker fruit. There's lovely freshness and focus. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine tannins, fresh and supple, pure black cherry and subtle blueberry fruit married with a perfect line of acidity. There is a little more structure and grip than the 1985, with a longer aftertaste. More minty aromas emerge with time in the glass, lending yet another layer of complexity. Jean-Marie Ponsot oversaw a legendary Clos de la Roche that I have now been fortunate to drink twice within 12 months. Magnificent. Tasted at Ponsot's 150th anniversary vertical at the Domaine. -- Neal Martin

I have probably drunk more bottles of this beautiful wine than any other Ponsot wine over my career in the wine business, which just shows how lucky I have been over the years. This is one of the reference point wines from the 1980 vintage, and I have been drinking it with some frequency since the late 1980s. Today, it is not quite as flamboyantly sumptuous as it was in its relative youth, but is every bit as complex and classy. The bouquet is a beautiful blend of roasted cherries, fresh plums, chocolate, venison, herb tones, a great base of soil and coffee. On the palate the wine is still full-bodied, plump and seductive, with low acids, a fine core and excellent complexity on the long, pure and soil-driven finish. That tannins have fully fallen away and the wine is now just a touch on the soft side and probably not quite what it was at its zenith, but there is still a ton of pleasure to be had here in this iconic 1980 red Burgundy.