| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Pontet-Canet
A dark garnet core. The nose demands some coaxing, blackberry, a touch of bay leaf and wild hedgerow. Very fine definition. After a few minutes in the glass, it develops a subtle liquorice element. The palate is medium-bodied, full of freshness and vigour. The tannins are not quite as fine as a great vintages, this is a brisk, brusque Pontet-Canet that actually does remind me of Mouton-Rothschild in many ways. Then, a little herbaceous towards the dry finish, linear and moderate length. Very good for the vintage. Tasted October 2009.
This wine has seemingly gone to sleep and is in a dormant, ungracious stage, exhibiting notes of green tea leaves intermixed with red and black currants in its dusty nose. A medium-bodied wine with moderately high tannin and a certain austerity, it seems to be a much less impressive effort than I thought from barrel or is it just impossibly closed? There is still substantial size and tannic clout to the wine, but the fruit seems to have gone into hiding. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020+.
As most well-informed insiders in Bordeaux know, proprietor Alfred Tesseron has been doing everything right since 1994 in order to fully develop the enormous potential of this vineyard adjacent to Mouton-Rothschild. Some serious work is done in the vineyard including de-budding, de-leafing, and crop-thinning. The harvest usually takes place in several attempts trying to maximize ripeness and there are two separate sorting tables. Yields have dropped dramatically, and of course there is a severe selection.
Drink 2011-16. A little raw and light and austere at first but it opened out in the glass and doubtless will open out in the bottle.
A thick, unctuous texture immediately suggests something rather special. Substantial tannins emerge in the finish, suggesting this is another Pauillac that will require plenty of cellaring. Approximately two-thirds of the production made it into this 2002. A dense purple color accompanies aromas of pure, rich creme de cassis. With medium to full body, and a long, concentrated finish, it should be at its finest between 2010-2025. This is a very classic wine.
