Pontet Canet 2013

Pauillac, Fifth Growth

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Tasting Notes
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this biodynamically farmed vineyard (a rarity, but increasing in the Bordeaux viticulture), had tiny yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare. This doesn’t translate into super concentration, but this is certainly an outstanding effort in an extremely difficult vintage. The wine has a dense purple color, and classic crème de cassis, licorice and mocha and espresso roast notes that Pontet-Canet has displayed recently. The wine is medium-bodied, possesses excellent purity, equilibrium and sweet, but noticeable tannin. This is by no means at the level of the great vintages that have been so common of late from this incredible property on the Plateau of Pauillac across from Mouton Rothschild, but it’s certainly one of the vintage’s more noteworthy efforts. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15 or so years. Score: 90 - 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2031 01 August 2014
Lovely expressive ripe, almost luscious nose. Certainly some opulence which is unusual for the vintage. The palate is intense with black cherry fruit, chocolate and lilac lifted freshness. Incredibly smooth and caressing with lashings of fruit at the core, then tails away. Very distinctive. A lighter Pontet Canet but very true to the recent style of the Chateau. Score: 92 - 94 Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2014
An aromatic wine with a delicacy and suppleness that is exceptional for the vintage with blackberry, mineral, spice and flower character. Very fine tannins. Seamless structure. It’s a wine that makes you want to drink it with its pleasant savory, fruity character. Harmonious. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2014
A lovely, aromatic expression of fresh plum, just-warmed cherry confiture and violet, giving way to a very supple, gentle feel as the silky tannins let the red and blue fruits glide through. Quite pretty and stylish, and a 180-degree turn from the 2011 in style. Very light, pure and balanced. A true display of the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot , Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Tasted non-blind. Score: 89 - 92 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2014
40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. Mushy red fruit that reminds me of great Pinot. Fantastic sweet vanilla oak and really broad, brooding nose. The palate doesn’t quite match the nose for complexity.. But that may well come, and the balance is really accomplished, supple tannins, medium body, high, integrated acid. But it’s the nose that really distinguishes this wine. Tremendous. Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, Richard Hemming, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2033 01 April 2014
Fine depth and purity of fruit that comes from the inside in a Burgundian manner, beautiful precision, balance and length. Score: 92 Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2017-2030 01 April 2014
A soft, utterly exquisite wine, the 2013 Pontet-Canet graces the palate with small red berries, a kiss of spice, mint and French oak. The 2013 is a wine of detail and nuance. I am curious to see how the 2013 ages. Today, the mid-weight structured suggests the 2013 is a wine to drink in the near and medium term. It's all polish here. The 2013 is a very pretty wine, with good balance, but also slight elements of dilution. I also had a chance to taste the 2009 and 2010 on this trip. While it is unfair to compare the 2013 to those two epic vintages, the gap is significant. The 2013 was aged in 50% new oak, 35% concrete and 15% one year-old oak. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Score: 87 - 90 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2014
In 2013, the Pontet Canet is a blend of around 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. There is about 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% in one-year old wood. The nose is quite light for Pontet Canet, the Merlot actually more expressive than the Cabernet Sauvignon at the moment. There is something almost northern Italian about the aromatics, warmth not European but something further south. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly meaty entry. The tannins are a little coarse at the moment but they will soften with time. There is an attractive spicy tincture here, although there is not a great deal of depth on the finish, which is typically quite linear for the vintage. Again, the clay amphora, do lend this wine something tertiary or at least "of the ground". I do not think this is a long term Château Pontet Canet, but it should drink well over the next 8 to 10 years. Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2014

Tasting Notes

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this biodynamically farmed vineyard (a rarity, but increasing in the Bordeaux viticulture), had tiny yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare. This doesn’t translate into super concentration, but this is certainly an outstanding effort in an extremely difficult vintage. The wine has a dense purple color, and classic crème de cassis, licorice and mocha and espresso roast notes that Pontet-Canet has displayed recently. The wine is medium-bodied, possesses excellent purity, equilibrium and sweet, but noticeable tannin. This is by no means at the level of the great vintages that have been so common of late from this incredible property on the Plateau of Pauillac across from Mouton Rothschild, but it’s certainly one of the vintage’s more noteworthy efforts. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15 or so years.

Score: 90 - 92

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2031 01 August 2014

Lovely expressive ripe, almost luscious nose. Certainly some opulence which is unusual for the vintage. The palate is intense with black cherry fruit, chocolate and lilac lifted freshness. Incredibly smooth and caressing with lashings of fruit at the core, then tails away. Very distinctive. A lighter Pontet Canet but very true to the recent style of the Chateau.

Score: 92 - 94

Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2014

An aromatic wine with a delicacy and suppleness that is exceptional for the vintage with blackberry, mineral, spice and flower character. Very fine tannins. Seamless structure. It’s a wine that makes you want to drink it with its pleasant savory, fruity character. Harmonious.

Score: 92 - 93

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2014

A lovely, aromatic expression of fresh plum, just-warmed cherry confiture and violet, giving way to a very supple, gentle feel as the silky tannins let the red and blue fruits glide through. Quite pretty and stylish, and a 180-degree turn from the 2011 in style. Very light, pure and balanced. A true display of the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot , Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Tasted non-blind.

Score: 89 - 92

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2014

40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. Mushy red fruit that reminds me of great Pinot. Fantastic sweet vanilla oak and really broad, brooding nose. The palate doesn’t quite match the nose for complexity.. But that may well come, and the balance is really accomplished, supple tannins, medium body, high, integrated acid. But it’s the nose that really distinguishes this wine. Tremendous.

Score: 18

Jancis Robinson MW, Richard Hemming, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2033 01 April 2014

Fine depth and purity of fruit that comes from the inside in a Burgundian manner, beautiful precision, balance and length.

Score: 92

Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2017-2030 01 April 2014

A soft, utterly exquisite wine, the 2013 Pontet-Canet graces the palate with small red berries, a kiss of spice, mint and French oak. The 2013 is a wine of detail and nuance. I am curious to see how the 2013 ages. Today, the mid-weight structured suggests the 2013 is a wine to drink in the near and medium term. It's all polish here. The 2013 is a very pretty wine, with good balance, but also slight elements of dilution. I also had a chance to taste the 2009 and 2010 on this trip. While it is unfair to compare the 2013 to those two epic vintages, the gap is significant. The 2013 was aged in 50% new oak, 35% concrete and 15% one year-old oak. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Score: 87 - 90

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2014

In 2013, the Pontet Canet is a blend of around 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. There is about 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% in one-year old wood. The nose is quite light for Pontet Canet, the Merlot actually more expressive than the Cabernet Sauvignon at the moment. There is something almost northern Italian about the aromatics, warmth not European but something further south. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly meaty entry. The tannins are a little coarse at the moment but they will soften with time. There is an attractive spicy tincture here, although there is not a great deal of depth on the finish, which is typically quite linear for the vintage. Again, the clay amphora, do lend this wine something tertiary or at least "of the ground". I do not think this is a long term Château Pontet Canet, but it should drink well over the next 8 to 10 years.

Score: 89 - 91

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2014

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