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Pontet Canet 2000

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Pontet-Canet

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Tasting Notes

Upgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+.

94+
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (189), June 2010

Compared to the 2001, the millennial Pontet-Canet is more expressive on the nose with blackberry, cedar, graphite, tobacco and a slight leafy quality that merely lends it freshness and vitality. The palate is medium-bodied, very pure and refined, lovely balance and yet somehow missing the intensity and vigour of ensuing vintages, a four-gear Pontet-Canet rather than five-gear despite the vintage but it would be churlish to ignore the supple, slightly lactic, chocolaty finish. Delicious! Drink 2010-2020.

91
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, October 2009
93
James Suckling, Wine Spectator (Mar 31, 03), March 2003
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92+
Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003

Like its neighbor, Mouton Rothschild, this wine seems to have closed down considerably after bottling. The impressively saturated opaque purple color offers up some promising aromas of black currants, vanilla, truffle, smoke, and mineral. In the mouth, it is full-bodied, powerful, layered, and enticingly textured, but oh, so backward and firm. The finish is long, but this broodingly backward, large-scaled Pontet-Canet will require considerable patience. Does it rival the brilliant 1995 or 1996? I am not sure. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030.

92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (146), April 2003

A stunning offering is the 2000. An opaque purple color is accompanied by an impressive aromatic display of pure creme de cassis, high quality oak, sweet earth, and smoke. It is a steely, extremely long classic with noticeable tannin as well as fine concentration and power, and a 45-second finish. This broodingly backward, hulking Pontet-Canet will require patience. (92-94) points

92/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (139), February 2002

A spectacular effort from Pontet Canet. The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2000 offers a gorgeously pure, intense bouquet of blackberry liqueur, cassis, smoke, and Asian spices. The Pontet Canet displays a firm, classic feel in the mouth, high tannin, medium to full body, exceptional concentration as well as purity, and a long finish. Bravo!

(92-95) points Drink 2007-2030

92/95
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (134), April 2001
92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, January 2003
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.