| | Pontet Canet got so many great notes recently (especially from RP) that is was long overdue for me to check in on this Pauillac. I remember this Cru from my notes as a solid 50-100 USD wine that does well but is far from great. Unfortunately that impression was fully confirmed tonight. The wine has three issues preventing it to score in the upper 90ies in my view. One is a lack of aromatic complexity (all but 2010) and two quite some heat on the palate (05, 08, 09) and finish and three occasionally drying tannins (00,05,08).
I know - many people on this site and several professional tasters will disagree - but I just can't see why I need to shell out 150-200+ USD for a wine like this. There are many equal contenders for half the price in the "good but not great" segment. One exception was the 2010 which stood apart as a wine from a different league, the so called "95-100 league" where the price this Cru demands is justified. So my recommendation: Taste this wine before you buy it blindly on the high scores out in the market... - 2000 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Medium garnet. This nose was fairly classic Medoc with tobacco, dark fruit, coffee and spices. Medium bodied with secondary aromas and nice mid mouth feel. Not too heavy and no presence of heat in this vintage. The tannins are slightly drying. This falls into the category of solid claret but a step away from great. (93 pts.)
- 2003 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Very dark ruby with even darker core. Nose of toast, torrefaction, smoke and and alcohol but no overripe or cooked aromas. On the palate a bit hot and alcoholic but still bearable from a balance perspective. No over ripeness here either which is commendable. This is well done for the difficult 2003 vintage and pleasant to drink. Medium length. (92 pts.)
- 2005 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark purple. Reserved nose of earth, cedar wood, some black fruit and pine tree. On the palate medium bodied with a slightly acidic touch and pronounced tannins, a bit drying. Not dissimilar to the 2000. Aroma wise quite linear and restraint, definitely Needs another 5 years here. How will this turn out? Let's see. My guess is good but not outstanding. 92-94 (93 pts.)
- 2008 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Medium-dark ruby. Alcoholic nose of wood, licorice with a bit of cassis, not very aromatic and not very expressive but then again this is 08 style and it will surely improve a notch. On the palate medium bodied with quite some acidity and heat. Not very balanced at the moment. This will need some time and then will be decent but never great. 89-91 (90 pts.)
- 2009 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark purple. Expressive nose of kirsch, red fruit, fruit compote and rum. Very alcoholic at the beginning but it did settle down after 1h decanting. Still, too "hot & southern" and not enough typicity for my taste. On the palate medium bodied and well structured but aromatically not very deep (see my broader comment on this matter in the tasting story section). Hence, another wine in the category "solid" but quite a step away from great (and far from being a 100 pointer). 92-94 (93 pts.)
- 2010 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Just when I gave up on this Cru as being something that needs to be in a good Bordeaux collector's cellar they poured this wine into my glass. Dark ruby, very clean and clear, shiny look but not as dense as many 2010s I have seen. The clarity/shininess is quite something here. This is also the first nose that invoked a wow. Lots of dark fruit, violets, cassis, so typical for this vintage in the dark fruit spectrum with no heat at all. On the palate medium-full bodied and very precise, ripe tannins buffering the exceptional fruit. This is young for sure but the first wine that gives me full confidence that once mature it will have the right balance between alcohol, fruit, aromas and tannins. Outstanding! No doubt from this evening that this is the Pontet Canet to buy (see also my general, not-so-enthusiastic remarks on this Cru in the tasting story). (97 pts.)
|
