Château Pontet-Canet - Pauillac 2019 (750ml)
Price: $145.00
| Producer | Château Pontet-Canet |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pauillac |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Sku | 1005698 |
| Size | 750ml |
Falstaff: 100 Points
Deep dark ruby opaque core purple reflections subtle brightening on rim. For the first time since 2011 the proportion of Merlot is somewhat higher the bouquet accordingly more characterised by heart cherries than by the usual cassis de Pauillac delicate nougat and caramel fine herbal spice. Powerful tightly meshed shows good expression chocolatey touch ripe tannins great complexity great length and spiciness a very independent personality a huge promise for the future already evident: this wine has everything a world-class wine needs.
James Suckling: 99 Points
A very tight compact red that shows wonderful precision and definition with lots of blackberries blueberries stones and black tea. The sorting and de-stemming was all done by hand. Love the sensibility to this. Superb length and finesse. Subtle and sophisticated. No pumping over and gentle pushing down. Handmade. Very exciting and thought-provoking. Very long. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. Biodynamic grapes.
The Wine Independent: 99 Points
Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot the 2019 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. It features notes of prunes creme de cassis and wilted roses followed by suggestions of spice box iron ore Ceylon tea and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich concentrated and seductive with a racy backbone and ripe fine-grained tannins supporting the complex layered flavors finishing long and minerally. Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown Review date: 2023-05-01
Jane Anson: 98 Points
Particularly successful during En Primeur and even better now just bursting out of the glass. Plump and fruit forward plenty of character with spiced cedar and smoked earth violet and iris notes play around the edges but the focus is on creamy cassis bilberry cocoa bean and aniseed. Last vintage with Jean-Michel Comme as technical director and you really now see the skilled use of amphoras which added notes of austerity in the early years (they introduced them in 2012) but now showcase the precision of the fruit. 100% 1st wine with the ageing taking place in a mix of 45% new oak barrels 15% one year barrels and 40% amphoras. So many things come together in terms of the finesse and bristling power of the tannins it is almost drinkable now because everything is so beautifully balanced but there is concentration and it is likely to close down soon and remain that way for a good 6 or 7 years. Liquorice root cocoa beans espresso and aniseed bilberry and cassis nothing too silky instead this has grain and texture and inches slowly forward demanding that you pay attention as the elements layer on top of each other. Jean Michel Comme's last vintage as technical director. An upscore from my En Primeur note and I am looking forward to retasting again for the 2019s in bottle in a month or so. 100% 1st wine as it has been since 2015. 45% aged in new oak barrel 15% one year 40% in amphoras.
Decanter: 98 Points
Such gorgeous aromatics of freshly picked violets, cherries and bramble fruits - pretty and quite delicate. The texture is smooth and succulent, mouth coating but full of soft tannins which have the most delicious black cherry, blackcurrant flesh and liquorice tinge to them - so satisfying. Extremely well balanced and well integrated, this has restrained power, it's not rich or particularly round but straight, direct and layered rather than wide. Really long finish with great freshness and touches of cool blueberries. This is just such a great wine, everything you want and you know there's power there promising a long life. Great winemaking on show. 35% aged in concrete, 50% new oak, 15% in barrels of one year, for 16-18 months. This year there's a new label, the drawing of the house has remained but the font is more elegant and modern. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2027-2047)
Wine Enthusiast: 98 Points
The wine is so perfumed with ripe tannins set beside the black currant purity. The wine does have weight but the fruit is so refined and vibrant. Tannins give a core for aging offering the structure and the density of a very fine wine. Organic and biodynamic. Roger Voss
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider: 97 Points
It is the purity of the fruit along with the soft silky polished layers of freshness that matter here. The wine kicks off with an array of flowers plums currants and blackberries along with spice savory herbs tobacco leaf and a touch of cherry. The wine exudes its red fruit quality with ease leaving you with an elegant refined soft polished mid-palate and a long vibrant fresh finish that provides you with a gorgeous display of purity in the fruits. Please allow the wine some time for aging before pulling a cork. Drink from 2030-2060.
