1959 Château Pontet-Canet

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 90.7 points

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  2/4/2020 - John Dunlap Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Going deep into the cellar to celebrate our move to Sonoma from San Francsico. Yes, Sonoma is ground zero for Pinot Noir, but we still enjoy wines from the "rest of the world." ☺ Forgive me, it's a quote. I remember touring Mouton and visiting the chateau's cellars where the guide said: "Here on the left is the cellar of Mouton and on the right is the cellar is for the rest of the world." Ha! We aren't quite that geocentric, and so this evening we reach for an old Pauillac -- from the "rest of the world" -- in celebration of finally living in California wine country!
  
  Purchased this 73cl bottle probably 30+ years ago at the Boulder Wine Merchant (Boulder, CO), for around $25.00. Since purchase, the bottle was been stored in an excellent, cool cellar. Fill was originally quite good, but over time, the ullage became more pronounced. Tonight the fill was high-mid shoulder due to the age of the cork. Lead capsule. Cork was in pretty good shape since the base of the cork still provided tight seal. Surprisingly, the cork was removed in two very neat pieces without compelling decay or disintegration as part of the process. The cork was not spungy.
  
  Decanted bottle with moderate sediment.
  
  Surprisingly, the color was a nice red/brown, with no noticeable yellow edge or clear meniscus. Clearly, the wine was old, but it was visually not over the hill.
  
  Nose and palate first expressed cherry and wood elements. A bit later, sour cherry and mahogany dominated - almost like an old BdM. At about 30 minutes, the wine does seem a bit simple, but remained stable and appealing with nice notes of licorice and leather elements. At about the one hour mark, notes of orange and sandalwood (?) appeared in conjunction with the aforesaid.
  
  Overall, we really enjoyed this wine and were amazed at how it stayed together in the glass all night long. It was very old but still carried it’s weight with dignity. Clearly drink up any regular sized bottle or magnums; cork and fill will be critical in any case.
  
  (Served with a marinated grilled steak, baked potato, and blistered green beans. Given it’s age and gentility, I could have easily served this wine with tomorrow night’s meal, a rich soup of chicken and sticks (or southern dumplings)).

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  3/14/2017 - Man in Black wrote:

  Deep tawny colour. Moderate aromas of cigar box, forest floor, mushrooms, ripe dark plums, black currants, walnut, colve and hints of lavender.
  
  It is dry in the mouth with a fresh acidity. It has silky tannins and a medium alcohol. It has a medium+ body and pronounced intensity flavours. The finish is long.
  
  It is an outstanding quality wine. It has a lingering finish and a great concentration in balance with the acidity. The age has polished its tannic structure and developed an elegant bouquet whilst retaining some of the fruit. It is a great wine of great finesse and complexity.

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  2/22/2017 - DENKMAELER wrote: flawed

  Korken eingeschrumpelt auf halben Durchmesser, nur noch die Kapsel verschloss, sicher 20 Jahre zu alt!

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  12/13/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote:

  Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.: A real treat provided by Jeff King. This was still in business and doing nicely. The nose is classic old Bordeaux with a pleasant musty quality, slight funk and plenty of tobacco. Even a bit of cherries. More cherries and dried cherries on the palate. Layered and complex. Good showing.

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  5/7/2010 - clembos wrote: 94 Points

  Wow, after 5 minutes this opens up to anise, red fruit, lovage, mint, a pronounced sweetness reminiscent of Burgundy, still some tannins on the palate and finish that does not want to end. Delicious!

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