Wine Review: Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2023 (en-primeur sample)
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- Опубліковано 24 кві 2024
- For today's Wine-Searcher tasting our Wine Director David Allen tastes a 2023 en-primeur sample from the hugely popular Chateau Pontet Canet in Pauillac.
Château Pontet-Canet is a critically lauded wine estate located in the Pauillac appellation in the north of the Médoc region. The estate was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification although in contemporary critical and popular circles, the estate is considered worthy of a much higher ranking. Its grand vin is a classic, structured claret with great finesse, regularly achieving high scores and much in-demand worldwide. The second wine of the estate is Hauts de Pontet-Canet.
Château Pontet-Canet was founded by Jean-Francois de Pontet, royal governor of the Médoc, who combined several Pauillac vineyard plots in the 1720s. His descendants added neighboring parcels in Canet. The wine was not château-bottled until 1972. Pontet-Canet has been owned by the Tesseron family of Cognac fame since 1975, and under the family's control quality has risen greatly, along with auction prices and popularity. Pontet-Canet is Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, and is full bodied with significant long-term cellaring potential.
The 81-hectare (200-acre) vineyard is located at the heart of the Pauillac appellation, just south of châteaux Mouton Rothschild and d'Armailhac. The soil is made up of Garonne gravel on a limestone bedrock and is warm and well drained, providing perfect conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for 62 percent of plantings.
Merlot makes up 32 percent of the rest, and there are small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot as well. Viticulture is certified organic and biodynamic and, in recent years, a team of working horses have been introduced.
At harvest, grapes are picked into small crates that are transferred directly to the sorting table, keeping damage to the fruit to a minimum and allowing winemakers to keep plot and variety separate.
Since 2005, the must has been fermented in modern, temperature-controlled concrete vats located directly under the sorting tables on the floor above. Grapes from each plot are vinified separately, and aged in barrel (never more than two-thirds new oak) for 16-20 months depending on the vintage.
To find out more about this wine, its pricing and where to buy it go to the Wine-Searcher website: www.wine-searcher.com/find/po...
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One of the only wines I purchased EP this year. Glad to hear your review of it and I'm happy with my choice.
I think that will prove to be an excellent choice and it seemed well-priced!
Finally a tasting of left bank Cab.Sauv, based wine. Really interesting, because that is what we will be buying en primeur, no meldew problems as with the Merlot. Did you taste the Lafon Rochet also? Same owner and cheaper, could be very interesting...
Where to start in responding. Yes we did taste Lafon Rochet, though it is not owned by the Tesserons who have Pontet Canet, it is owned by Jackie Lorenzetti who has Chateau Pedesclaux in Pauillac. It was a decent wine with good concentration - one of the most typically St Estephe wines I've tasted (though still to visit Cos and Montrose tomorrow), it was rich and ripe but had an earthy grip like a St Estephe should. As for your finally comment was the Ducru Beaucaillou video which I launched this series of tastings with no good for you?, (85% Cab Sauvignon from St Julien). As for worrying about Merlot on the right bank I tasted a lot of decent wines from Pomerol this morning but I've got some Margaux and Southern Medoc videos to come as well as the Pomerols, so there should be something to feed your Cabernet need.
Yes, sorry, I loved your Ducru Beaucaillou tasting! And I can see that the Tesseron family sold Lafon Rochet in April 21, I'm obviously not up to speed...
I'm sure top estates on the right bank can make good Merlot based 2023 wine, but there must be many mediocre ones as well? They had a massive mildew problem affecting the Merlot, but nobody talks about it.
They were all talking about mildew, but more about the costs of cutting it out of the vineyard & selecting health fruit at picking. It was a real problem, but I think at Cru Classe level the issue is the costs of dealing with it, not the impact on flavor. For example I think I recall Smith Haut Lafitte lost something like 40% of their Merlot. The crop was pretty abundant so there is not a huge loss of wine, but that is why many blends are Cabernet Sauvignon heavy.
Finally, Bordeaux is going organic and biodynamic! ❤
They have worked with biodynamic farming since 2005 and were certified organic in 2010, being one of the first Bordeaux estates. Today there are plenty of chateau's being organic/biodynamic and many in the process of changing towards it. Good development!!
@@jakopete1 I’m not too sure where you have been for the last 10 years, but this winery has been biodynamic way before it became trendy..
The FDA said there is no scientific benefits, to consuming organic food!
Is it a good place to visit David?
From my experience the Tesseron family have always been very welcoming and its a beautiful estate.
Do you think this wine will age more than 20+ years easily? Want to buy a case to commemorate the birth of my son in 2023. Was thinking to buy Pontet-Canet, but don't want to drink the first bottle in the coming 18 years. Or do I have other options around the 100 EUR price mark?
Certainly a wine that would age out 25+ years, its fine structure and excellent acidity would ensure that - I think is would be a very good option - other good Pauillacs to consider might be Lynch Bages and Grand Puy Lacoste, but I don't think either exceed Pontet Canet, but they might not be quite as pricy. More elegant options could be Brane Cantenac or Rauzan Segla, but again I don't think either would be a better buy - just different styles. I do think Pontet Canet is an excellent option in 2023
@@winesearcher Thank you so much for your reply, it's very valued. Would the Lynch Bages have more aging potential since it has more Cabernet and more new oak? Also the right bank seems to be higher regarded this vintage, would anything from St-Emilion or Pomerol exceed the Pontet Canet?
Trouble with The right Bank is small production leading to limited availability & higher prices. Beausejor Becot was exceptional as was La Gaffeliere. another oftion could be something like Smith Haut lafitte or Domaine de Chevalier - some good options from Pessac leognan that are easily overlooked . That said Pontet Canet is a very strong option and seems to be at an excellent price.
Youre right, your mic is rubbish. When you were showing the bottle to the camera, the mic got closer to your mouth and it kinda felt like it was working. But it doesnt work from the distance like you need.
And yet I've just watched this on an I phone and have no difficulty hearing it at all - frustrating!...
Thank you for your review. It is difficult to hear you. Perhaps quality of mic or you need to speak louder. 🍷
Sorry about that _ thought I was being quite loud, but I'm not convinced this microphone is up to much - nwill see what I can do in terms of speaking louder. Thanks for mention it.
I hear absolutely everything with no issues.
Thanks for the feedback - it is good to know somebody hears us. I think we have got to the bottom of the issue now, we just need to find a fix for it.