Château Pontet-Canet 2023

Deeply dark and ripe-fruited, Pontet Canet shines again this year, with a profound nose and a rich palate—pure fruit concentration carried by a massive tannic structure, powerful yet dancingly light, crisp, juicy, saline, and endlessly long. Once again, a moving wine experience that should last a small eternity.

The longest harvest ever at this estate, and it paid off magnificently: lovely red berry and mint freshness, with Cabernet Franc coming to the fore. On the palate, it shows freshness and gorgeous wet-stone salinity that rises above many other Pauillac peers. The acidity is very well managed and felt in a tangy (rather than tart) fashion, and the wine exhibits superlative ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with tannic finesse as well as structure for the long haul. Normally the estate needs three or four days to harvest the Merlots, but extra care was taken — picking over a 10-day period for the Merlots — to obtain only the very best for the blend, resulting in veritable juiciness, too.

Flowers, cedar, tobacco leaf, black and red currants, and a hint of smoke create the perfume. The palate is full-bodied, ripe, round, and loaded with sweet, fresh, elegant, juicy, pure black cherries and blackberries. The wine is relaxed. Nothing is forced. Everything is in the right place. The tannins are long, with sweetness, length, and nuances of black currants, chocolate, licorice, and mint that appear in the lengthy finish. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 13.8% ABV, pH 3.75. Harvest took place September 7 - October 10. This is the earliest as well as the longest harvest in the history of the estate. The success of the vintage is due to the ability to wait for maturity on a parcel-by-parcel basis. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new French oak barrels and 35% amphora. Drink from 2029-2060. 95-97 pts.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Ripe cassis, blackberry confit, some nougat, fine herbal savouriness in the background. Complex, juicy, ripe black heart cherry, ripe tannins, fine extract sweetness, fresh and long-lasting, red-berry nuances, taut, assured maturity and definite ageing potential.

52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, 50% new barriques, 35% amphorae and 15% in used barriques. Densely woven, elegant bouquet: freshly picked alpine blueberry, violet perfume and noble cassis spice. On the sublime, juicy palate with a velvety texture, energetic drive, a tight, licorice‑like tannic frame and a perfectly shaped body. In the concentrated, never‑ending finish: blueberry, sour cherry juice, dark graphite and lofty astringency. This Pauillac stands out this year for its incredible freshness and precision and should be a must‑buy.

Score: 95–97. The nose releases a stunning, pure, zen-like perfume unlike the aromatic profile of any other wines of the vintage, with notes of wild berries, black cherry liqueur, and purple flowers—opulent and intensely scented. The celestial purity on the nose continues on the palate, with a sense of motion that sweeps you along and a lifted, generous texture that carries through to a chalky, mineral finish.

97-99. Barrel Sample. This is a very aromatic wine with all the Pontet-Canet style of attention to detail. With ripe black-currant fruits, it is beautifully perfumed and dense. Rich tannins and spices are layered with velvet fruits. It is impressive and seriously ageworthy. Organic and biodynamic.

A solid red, with a core of dark currant and blackberry reduction notes laced with singed alder and chestnut leaf threads. Its grip is in cast iron form, and this is ample and well-buried, letting the fruit flow through the finish, where sweet bay echoes prettily. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2040.