2014 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac

  • “Very Long & Complex” ~98, James Suckling
  • “Is Brilliant Stuff” ~96, Jeb Dunnuck
  • “An Impressively Pure Wine” ~96, Wine Enthusiast
  • 5th Growth Classified Château 
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About the Wine

The name of this Châteaux comes from the first owner named Jean-François de Pontet, who was the royal governor of the Medoc region. This property is currently owned by the businessman Guy Tesseron; since the Tesseron family took possession, this Châteaux began to notably improve the quality of its wines and has managed to position itself as one of Bordeaux's favorites. Consumers even assure that this wine is comparable in quality to a 2nd  or 3rd Growth wine.

The Tesseron family has other Châteaux, including Lafon Rochet in the appellation of St. Estephe and Pym-Rae, an estate in Napa Valley, which previously belonged to comedian Robin Williams. With special care in the vineyard, biodynamic and sustainable agriculture, and the oenological direction of Jean-Michel Comme, this Châteaux is rapidly becoming one of the most applauded by wine critics and Bordeaux wine lovers. Wine Spectator spoke about Chateau Pontet-Canet “It's a fifth-growth Pauillac that can perform like a first-growth, often offering pure, rich Cabernet fruit that's deeply concentrated.”

Pontet-Canet is located just 800 meters from 1st Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild. The vineyard is composed of 200 acres placed in a blessed terroir known as the “plateau”, a gentle broad outcrop of Garonne gravel soil dating from the Günz era that sits on a bedrock of limestone.

Tasting Notes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. See Critical Reviews for detailed tasting notes.

Reviews 

A stunning wine for this vintage although it’s still a bit shy on the nose (more spice than fruit showing than now). There’s wet earth, too, but on the palate, it’s bursting with ripe yet subtle flavors. Very long and complex finish that goes on and on. ~98 Points, James Suckling. 

A final blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2014 Pontet-Canet is brilliant stuff, and I was able to taste this wine from barrel as well as multiple times from bottle, both at the estate and from a bottle purchased in the United States. It offers a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, and minerals, as well as an unmistakable Pauillac lead pencil characteristics that I just adore. Possessing full-bodied richness, a rounded, surprisingly opulent, sexy texture, awesome purity, and sweet, succulent tannin, it’s a sensational 2014 that might just surpass what they accomplished in 2015. This is a 2014 you won’t regret buying in bulk as it’s going to keep for 2-3 decades and be drinkable for the vast majority of it. Bravo to Alfred Tesseron and his team! ~96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck.

This is a finely structured wine with dark tannins and intense black fruits. The estate, with its biodynamically grown fruit, has given an impressively pure wine, packed with tight serious tannins and a fine structure of black-plum skins and intense acidity. It is direct, firm, and with huge potential over many years. Drink from 2027. ~96 Points, Wine Enthusiast. 

The 2014 Pontet-Canet seems to have put on quite a bit of weight and volume since first tasted it from barrel. Ripe, juicy tannins wrap around a core of intense dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender and tobacco. Today, it is the wine's sheer intensity and vertical structure that stands out.Wouldn't dream of touching a bottle until at least age ten, and even that is almost certainly not going to be enough time for the 2014 to show the full breadth of its potential. The transformation the 2014 has undergone from a delicate, nuanced Pauillac to a wine of depth is quite remarkable. Tasted three times. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, vinified in equal parts cement and oak and aged in a combination of 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once used barrels. This is a gorgeous wine from the Tesseron family and the team led by Technical Director Jean-Michel Comme. ~95+ Vinous Media.

Deep garnet with a hint of purple to the color, the 2014 Pontet-Canet gives a very serious, classic Pauillac nose of blackcurrant preserves, baked blackberries and warm black plums with suggestions of menthol, pencil lead, woodsmoke, cassia and cast-iron pan plus a hint of baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with black and blue fruit preserves with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, giving lift to the long, exotic spice-laced finish. It is approachable now, but really should start to make jaws drop in another 4-5 years. ~95 Points, Robert Parker.

Similar to the 2011, the 2014 has added aromatic steeliness, especially compared with the 2012. However, the 2014 displays lovely fruit purity of cassis, red and black berry on the palate, and I like the tension, even if 2012 wins on sumptuousness. Aged 50% new oak , 35% amphora. ~94 Points, Decanter.

This delivers a notable menthol note, showing an ample core of well-steeped blackberry, plum and black currant fruit. A bright anise streak checks in on the back end, with a slightly loamy structure imparting a broad feel through the finish. Needs to pull together a bit more, but the fruit is there. Best from 2020 through 2030. ~93 Points, Wine Spectator.

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