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| | Vintage | 2009 |  Label 1 of 699 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Château Pontet-Canet (web) | | Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | France | | Region | Bordeaux | | SubRegion | Médoc | | Appellation | Pauillac | | UPC Code(s) | 015643699634, 031259021591, 071570014834, 3272860032645, 3364420097758, 3419466144215, 3448821200761, 3550871204160, 3700188021770, 3700446507121, 3700446508128, 3700446509125, 3700446511128, 400001996041, 400002006183, 714153131626, 887017070024 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95.5 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 508 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by ShadowIII on 4/21/2024 & rated 94 points: Drank blind paired with RdV Lost Mountain 2009, Pontet Canet was more structured, tighter compared with the opulent in your face RdV, but after decant and clearly second day was a great wine with currants, blackberries, graphite, cedar, long finish (1217 views) | | | Tasted by p.koch7@web.de on 4/13/2024 & rated 100 points: Perfekt (2531 views) | | | Tasted by Purple Tooth on 4/11/2024 & rated 95 points: I must admit, this has finally aged. However, it does fizzle out in 3 hours. Which means, this is it. To me, this is at peak. Drink it and enjoy the rich, St. Emilion like vibe via Pauillac. Drink... (3094 views) | | | Tasted by CCGCCG on 4/6/2024 & rated 96 points: Really wonderful. Drinking above my previous expectations. The most amazing thing was that it stood up to and followed a 1985 Petrus and a 1996 Lafite!! In terms of value obviously it shined. Smooth. Silly. Long finish. (3446 views) | | | Tasted by jkvedar on 3/23/2024 & rated 95 points: In a great place right now. Did not need a decant, but I decanted it for 3 hours at cellar temperature.
Blackberry, cassis and a bit of graphite on the nose. There is a hint of oak in the form of baking spice. Medium-bodied, medium minus tannins and medium acidity. Paired with braised beef, mashed potatoes and pan sauce as well as salad. Long finish. (4718 views) | | | Tasted by Mezz on 3/11/2024 & rated 95 points: What Canet say, regrettably young, fruit is lush on the nose, extraordinary roasted berries, dried lavender, kind of a soupy anise, with a dab of petrichor. Pomegranate on the lips, weighty black cherry, very brambly and high toned, elegant dry stones, tannins are still quite pronounced but are very ripe and finely grained, bouquet is still emergent and just edging on secondary, so much unresolved life left in this, incredibly polished. 95 now, but in 10 years easily 96-100. If you have only one wait at least 5 years more. (6426 views) | | | Tasted by olebaer on 3/10/2024 & rated 92 points: Nose: black berries, warm, intense, liquorice, pencil, kirsch
Palate: cassis, chocolate, liquorice, kirsch
Tannins: high, astringent
Acidity: high, somewhat irritating
The nose has changed considerably over time. Intense berries at the beginning, rather soft after 6 hours.
Undoubtedly a great wine that I opened far too early, I know.
Still,:100 points from Parker? Hmm, not for me today - and I can't imagine how it will get there. I rate it a 92.
Good for me: this was the first of 24 bottles and the anticipated drinking window is another 40 years.
opened: at 14 degrees
decanted: 3 hours, tasting notes after 6 hours
Pairing: veggie shepherd's pie (worked well) and ex-wife
Price: $ ~185 (subscription), now 340 at my wine shop (5677 views) | | | Tasted by TXRDW on 3/9/2024 & rated 97 points: Popped and poured around 2 ounces late afternoon before a lengthy decant, the wine at first was almost undrinkable. Very ripe and tart, it gave me a sense of some of the recent lower scores on CT.
Amazingly at the 4 hour mark the wine started to transform into a most memorable experience.
Appealing to most of the senses, the nose reminded me of a damp, dark forrest. The color was a mesmerizing opaque garnet, offering hints of the amazing quality of the grapes. By the 5 hour mark the wine was in sync, giving up notes of dark chocolate, baking spices, cassis, black cherry and a pleasant hint of sweet plums. Surprisingly opulent for a 2009, the PC absolutely lived up to my expectations.
The key to this vintage is patience, not only in the cellar, but most definitely in the decant time. Such a wonderful experience that brought me to a place where my senses were sublimely rewarded. (5248 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 3/6/2024 & rated 91 points: Pontet Canet 2009 vs 2010. The 2009 vintage (91pts) is characterized by its intense fruitiness, which I find slightly overpowering and the fruit is a bit too ripe. Aging it for another decade might mitigate some of its pronounced baby fat, though I wouldn’t hope for significant change. On the other hand, the 2010 vintage (94pts) stands out as the superior choice. It boasts a vibrant freshness, a more defined structure, and a wide range of ripe yet fresh fruit flavors. Both wines are so distinctive that during the blind tasting, none of the participants were able to identify it as a 2009/2010 and as left bank Bordeauxs.
TN: The wine is dominated by a range of ripe to very ripe fruit flavors. While these are less evident on the nose, they become more pronounced on the palate, accompanied by some earthy and mineral notes. However, the focus primarily remains on the fruit at this stage. The fruit comes across as slightly too ripe, and the wine seems a bit over-extracted, a trait it shares with many others from the 2009 vintage. Despite this, the quality of the tannins is notable, and a substantial level of acidity prevents the wine from becoming overly heavy or sweet. It is a good wine but not one that will appeal to traditionalists.
Decanting: Decanted for 3+ hours which seemed fine. (6032 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 3/5/2024: Parker 100 pointer theme dinner with friends, powerful, rich, v good, drank with the 2010 which most preferred, still young (5408 views) | | | Tasted by Plabella on 3/1/2024 & rated 100 points: Hard to describe perfection but this wine is as close as it comes. The clor is deep & dark with dark fruit rolling into your mouth. This is a full body wine with lasting taste. (4919 views) | | | Tasted by lonepine on 2/28/2024 & rated 94 points: 8.5 (4408 views) | | | Tasted by cubswinws on 2/10/2024 & rated 95 points: Wonderful wine drinking in the "zone" at present. (6047 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 2/5/2024 & rated 89 points: 3h decanted and paired against the 2010. A more earthy profile with some almost meaty elements initially. But overall very fruit-forward, showing extracted red and black cherry fruit. Herbal complexity. High-octane palate with notable heat. The balance is good, at least, but the mid-palate can‘t quite keep up. A somewhat bitter finish. Clearly lots of substance, but comes across overpowering. A wine in overdrive mode, more akin to New World Cab. Much preferred the 2010 in direct comparison. That said, have had better encounters in 2018 and 2019 hence could also be just a dumb phase for this vintage. Best not to touch for a while and check back in in 5 years. (7014 views) | | | Tasted by jkvedar on 2/4/2024 & rated 94 points: Decanted for 2 hours at 60 degrees F. Blackberry, cassis and a bit of graphite on the nose. There is a hint of oak in the form of baking spice. Medium-bodied, medium minus tannins and medium acidity. Paired with braised beef, mashed potatoes and pan sauce as well as salad. On some sips there was a bit of a burn, but overall outstanding and best with hearty food. Long finish. (6515 views) | | | Tasted by Rond on 2/3/2024 & rated 97 points: Sensational! Didn't have time to decant, so even as a PnP it was approachable and just got better. Delicious blackberry, piney earth, and lead pencil. Can it get any better? (5977 views) | | | Tasted by barryjkeller@gmail.com on 1/28/2024: Well balanced, full and generous. Obvious dark berries, chocolate and liquorice but still seems so far away from I would be hoping for. Just seems to be missing another dimension(s). Very different from the 2010. Good but not great. Lots and lots of time ? (6567 views) | | | Tasted by hajoha on 1/23/2024 & rated 94 points: Pontet Canet 2009.
Mer kompakt enn VCC.
Massiv frukt dog utfolder seg ikke helt.
Skyhøy konsentrasjon med en fin friskhet som balanserer.
Topp topp fruktkvalitet.
Imponerende vin med nok stuffing til å bli noe stort.
Bør definitiv lagres videre.
Sitter svært lenge med mye tanniner - faste, men fine. 94p med minst to poeng til å hente. (6802 views) | | | Tasted by dannyg on 1/8/2024 & rated 93 points: A bit tight, takes a lot of time to evolve. Decant minimum 3 hours (4271 views) | | | Tasted by soyhead on 1/6/2024: nose- dark berry
mouth - big fruit on the attack but quite sleek on the midpalate. fruity and delicious. this wine deserves the accolades and showed much more complex than a '13 opus one (fruit bomb) which was tried side by side. (8355 views) | | | Tasted by barryjkeller@gmail.com on 1/2/2024: Ok but clearly 09 as opposed to 2010. Soft but still needs time (7113 views) | | | Tasted by levicn on 1/1/2024 & rated 94 points: 深宝石红色，刚开瓶的时候试了一下，闻香有草本，紫罗兰，黑李子，莓果，薄荷，咸橄榄，青味，桂皮丁香，木质，泥土，香草还有奶油，香气浓郁集中，入口酸度高，酒液极度咸，咸矿石的口感，单宁紧涩，细沙粉质颗粒，成熟度非常高，它的结构有些惊到我，让我一瞬间想到当时喝大皇帝的感觉（点这里）。酒体扎实，咸橄榄口感，草本植物的青，紫罗兰，黑果混合着薄荷和辛香料味，酒液在口中非常粘稠，余味是悠长的高级木质香调，很深邃的一支酒，刚开瓶就非常强大，还需要充分的醒酒，我开始好奇它状态全开会是什么样子。醒酒四个半小时，闻香有巧克力，草本，李子和奶油的香气，还有一股似有似无的淡淡马骝味，入口单宁比刚开瓶时更强劲，有些糊嘴，颗粒感依然非常细密。果然即便是状态起来了，它也在告诉你“我是一支为时间而生的酒”。浓缩果汁一般的黑果，轻微的石墨气息，口感辛辣，依然是如巨石一样浑然一体的结构，没有完全松弛下来，酒液有些许甜美，但风格始终很内敛，余香是爆棚的果味，口中长留。叙事宏大的一款酒，风格严肃，细节把控无比精准，可以说摈弃了波尔多常有的缺点，只保留了优点，真令人叫绝。现在就喝无疑还是早了一些，离适饮巅峰期至少还有十五到二十年的距离，也许正因为如此，它今晚刚强的表现多少有些不近人情，碰到接近30年如妖孽般鲜活的707，它赢了结构和酒体，却输在了表现和时间。 (6253 views) | | | Tasted by AGELVIS on 12/31/2023 & rated 94 points: Three hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Prune danish, dark chocolate, rose, tart cherry, dried sage, damp autumn leaves, and subtle barnyard. Dry palate, with fine acidity. Firm, full, lower intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This was fun to drink side-by-side with the ‘19. I enjoyed this much more than the bottle I had several months ago. (7049 views) | | | Tasted by Hppr Cellar on 12/31/2023 & rated 99 points: It’s time for another New Year’s eve review. This year we had a slate of heavy hitters – cabs, cab blends and even a merlot based right bank – of vintages ranging from 2009 to 2016. The only common feature was that all of the wines had received at least two 100 point scores from some reputable critic and in some cases three or four (to be fair, we could only find one 100 point score for the Wraith, but one of our party swore they had seen another 100 point review so we let it in). I am posting the same review for all 5 wines but scoring each wine separately. And to be frank, these were all stunning wines – to think that our little group of hodunk wine sippers could really distinguish among greatness like this would be a bit arrogant – this is just for fun and none of us really know what we are doing, which is probably evident based on the quality of this review. With all of those caveats, here we go. Oh, for those who care about things like this, all wines were decanted 2 hours in advance and served at about 60 degrees F in zalto crystal.
1. Colgin IX Estate (2016) – 100pts - this was the wine of the night by a 3-1 vote. It was drinking perfectly, super well-balanced with the fruit not too strong and an incredible finish. Now we also drank it after the other 4 were gone. Could that have something to do with it? Hmm, regardless, this wine was gorgeous and we all truly enjoyed the experience of perfection in a glass.
2. Hundred Acre Wraith (2013) – 100pts – one of the very best napa cabs we have ever had. It was really tossing a coin between this and the Colgin. This wine was so well-structured yet smooth, smooth, smooth. And layer upon layer of flavors and textures. Cherry fruits, fine tannins,, super complex – this one has it all. What an achievement (if you can’t tell by now, I was the one who chose this over the Colgin for wine of the night).
3. Cheval Blanc (2009) – 99pts – the only merlot based wine of the night, the group was a little split on whether this or the PC should be #3. More dark berry than red with silky smooth tannins and a very complex long lasting finish with the cab franc giving it a hint of spice – this wine is drinking really well right now – not too early to drink but you can tell it has a lot of future potential as well. Wonderful, wonderful wine.
4. Pontet-Canet (2009) – 99pts – really a tie for third with the CB. What else can be said about this fantastic wine that has not already been stated? So supple, precise and pure. This wine truly punches above its weight and is neck and neck with wines costing 2-4x more than it. Its so sophisticated but also so approachable always making it a crowd favorite. Drinking well right now so no reason to wait if you have a bottle.
5. Kapcsandy Grand Vin (2016) – 97pts – probably by itself this would have been 99 pts, but when having to compete against the above it was just a tiny bit lacking. It probably could use another 2-3 years, and perhaps the 2013 would have been a fairer pick for this competition but we drank our last one a year ago. With that said, this is still a stupendous wine we all truly loved and had perhaps the best nose of the night with a ton of complexity and spice.
Until next NYE! Cheers! (5735 views) | | | Tasted by TexasBob on 12/25/2023 & rated 93 points: Cloudy orange-ruby. Mildly sulphuric nose with red berries. Strong red berry notes - raspberry, a bit of pleasant funk, distant milk chocolate, faint pomegranate, long delicious finish with all the above, especially the chocolate-covered berries. (5730 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/5/2023)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Bordeaux 2009: One of the Greats (11/23/2020)
(Chateau Pontet-Canet) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019) (3/1/2019)
(Pontet-canet Pontet-canet Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/14/2019)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Bordeaux Overflow (10/15/2018)
(Pontet-Canet RED) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Up From The Cellar #2 and Misc New Releases (2/15/2018)
(Pontet-Canet) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Mike Bennie
The WINEFRONT (3/14/2014)
(Chateau Pontet-Canet) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2013 (11/1/2013)
(Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/30/2013)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/17/2013)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/3/2012)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, May 2012
(Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/8/2011)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2010, Issue #28
(Château Pontet-Canet 5ème Cru) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/1/2010)
(Ch Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, March 2010
(Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, March 2010
(Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Brook
Decanter
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Winedoctor, May 2012
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NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and JebDunnuck.com and Vinous and The WINEFRONT and Winedoctor and The World of Fine Wine and Decanter. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Pontet-Canet Producer website – Read more about Chateau Pontet Canet2009 Château Pontet-CanetBerry Bros. & Rudd
http://www.bbr.com/product-76526b
2009 Ch. Pontet-Canet, Pauillac - FRANCE
Medium-Full Bodied, Dry, For laying down, Cab.Sauvignon Blend, 13% alc.
Tasting Notes: We first tasted 2009 Ch. Pontet Canet at a négociant’s during the Bordeaux en primeur tastings, and
then we tried it again later that week at the château. In both cases, it was utterly, utterly brilliant. The nose is
wonderfully pure, elegant yet ultra-concentrated whilst gorgeous, blackcurrant fruit dominates the lush-textured
palate. Layers of complexity ripple across the tongue whilst the deliciously ripe tannins are present, and then melt
away. This is very focused, very precise and superbly refined but with great power. Almost level with the seamless,
harmonious wine that was 2005, this is near-First Growth standard. This is one of the true stars of 2009: Pontet is
back!
Property: Château Pontet-Canet
Château Pontet-Canet is a large Pauillac estate that can trace its origins back to 1725, when Jean-François Pontet
gave his name to the estate he had acquired. The wine was not château-bottled until 1972 and in 1975 the property
was sold to Guy Tesseron, of the Tesseron family, one of the finest exponents of luxury, very old, aged Cognacs
(Cognac Tesseron).
The Tesserons also own Château Lafon-Rochet in St-Estephe. Today, Château Pontet-Canet is owned and run by
Alfred and Michel Tesseron.
Pontet-Canet's 78 hectares of vineyards adjoin those of Mouton Rothschild and are planted with Cabernet
Sauvignon (63%), Merlot (32%) and Cabernet Franc (5%).
The Tesserons have vastly improved the quality of the Pontet-Canet wines which are now full-bodied and packed
with ripe, chewy, black fruits and finely integrated tannins. The wines posseses marvellous ageing potential.
Pontet-Canet is classified as a 5ème Cru Classé.
Vintage Notes: 2009 - Red Bordeaux
Bordeaux vintage 2009 - The greatest vintage ever? Or a very good vintage with some truly exceptional wines, but
too patchy to be ranked amongst the very finest?
As ever, any such assessment starts with the weather, for which I am greatly indebted to the observations of Bill
Blatch of Vintex, a negociant of 30 years experience, and an acknowledged expert in the world of Sauternes,
whose annual weather report yields such a deep insight into the eventual style of the vintage. Broadly speaking the
weather was exceptionally benign through most of the growing season.
Flowering generally took place in perfect conditions, and then followed a long period of very dry, sunny weather,
but without the excesses of heat which marked 2003. By August some well-drained vineyards were beginning to
show signs of hydric stress, while the sugar levels in the grapes approached hitherto unseen levels.
Localised rain in the third week of September proved very welcome as it helped maintain the vegetative cycle; in
some areas, by September 21st, roughly when the Merlot harvest began on the Left Bank and in the later-picking
Right Bank estates, the grapes displayed very high sugar levels but the tannins remained largely unripe.
Some growers panicked at this point and rushed to pick, fearful of seeing potential alcohol levels go through the
roof. They then sought to compensate with longer- than-usual maceration to extract more fruit, only to find their
wines over-burdened with dry, austere tannins. Those who held their nerve were rewarded, as a further week of dry
weather helped to ripen the tannins fully, while cool nights helped to preserve important balancing acidity and,
crucially, to maintain freshness in the eventual wine.
The long, drawn-out dry weather in September, continuing into early October, enabled the Cabernets to ripen fully
and to develop immense complexity, and it is no surprise to see some extraordinary wines on the Left Bank, and in
those estates on the Right Bank where there is a good percentage of Cabernet grapes. The drought has reduced
yields generally, as did some violent hailstorms in May, particularly in St. Emilion, and the small size of the berries
has led to a high solids-liquid ratio in the vats, with record levels of tannins in many of the wines we tasted.
High tannin alone is, of course, not an indication of quality, nor is an elevated alcoholic percentage necessarily a
negative; what is important is the quality of the tannins, and how they fit into the structure of the wine. Time after
time we noted fantastically ripe tannins, providing the basis for great longevity while making no unwelcome,
aggressive intrusion into the perception of the wine on the palate.
As a result the overriding impression is of a seamless, rich texture in the mouth, preceded by glorious opulent
aromas of ripe, black fruits, and, in the best examples, a refreshing minerality and terroir expression on the
palate, with enough acidity to provide balance on the finish.
Alcohol levels on the Left Bank are well above 13%, unusually high, but rarely did I find any wines unbalanced as
a result, such is the depth of their concentration and completeness of harmony.
On the Right Bank, where alcohol levels frequently exceeded 14%, there is more of a problem, with some wines
exhibiting heady aromas and elements of heat on the finish. Those properties in St. Emilion and Pomerol which
have avoided this pitfall deserve enormous credit for producing wine of freshness and balance in the prevailing
conditions. Far too many, however, are disjointed, with harsh tannins out of harmony with the rest of the wine, for
2009 to be considered uniformly great on this side of the river.
When I visited Bordeaux in April 2006 I formed the view that the 2005 reds were the finest clarets I had ever tasted,
at that stage of their evolution. Furthermore, that level of quality pervaded the entire gamut of wines from simple
Bordeaux rouge through to the Crus Bourgeois right up to the top Classified Growths.
2009 lacks the homogeneity and consistency of 2005, but it is nevertheless clear that some estates, notably in
Pauillac, Margaux and St. Julien, have made dazzling wines which are marginally superior even to their
justly-lauded 2005s.
In a nutshell they are simply gorgeous to taste, and may well remain so throughout their lives, such is the ripeness
of both fruit and tannin. One can imagine drinking them young to enjoy the exuberance of the fruit, but much
greater pleasure will be obtained through the exercise of patience. Above all, one of the most surprising facts about
the vintage is the way in which the massive concentration is offset by a beguiling freshness in the best wines.
Alun Griffiths MW, BBR Wine Director (12.04.2010)Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Pauillac Read more detailed information about Pauillac Looking full onto the river from the earliest days, with an important port activity, traces of which go back to ancient times (shipment of bronze as long ago as 2000 B.C.), Pauillac's life has always been intimately linked to the history of wine. Although port activities were at the root of its prosperity, Pauillac had to wait until the eighteenth century when Bordeaux ceased to hold its privileged position to become a wine port. The town then became the natural outlet for the wine production of neighbouring cantons before reaching its zenith in a period when the vineyards were exceptionally prosperous.
The characteristic of the Pauillac terroir is its exceptional relief: the many undulating ridges make it unique morphologically speaking. Highly favourable conditions facilitate the dissection of the layer of gravel. This thin, Garonne gravel from whose very poverty springs great richness, has an extremely effective natural drainage.
With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth.
Rich and complex, the wines of Pauillac deserve to be laid down for a little longer.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Pauillac appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Pauillac and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cissac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Sauveur, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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