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An amazing wine in every sense, this classic, full-bodied Pauillac is the quintessential Pontet Canet from proprietor Alfred Tesseron, who conitunes to reduce yields and farms his vineyards biodynamically - a rarity in Bordeaux. Black as a moonless night, the 2009 Pontet Canet offers up notes of incense, graphite, smoke, licorice, creme de cassis and blackberries. A wine of irrefutable purity, laser-like precision, colossal weight and richness, and sensational freshness, this is a tour de force in winemarking that is capable of lasting 50 or more years. The tannins are elevated, but they ar sweet and beautifully integrated as are the acidity, wood and alcohol (which must be in excess of 14%). This vineyard, which is situatted on the high plateau of Pauillac adjacent to Mouton Rothschild, appears to have done everything perfectly in 2009. This cuvee should shut down in the cellar and re-open in a decade or more. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2075
Score: 100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate,
Wine Description
The Story
Pontet-Canet has always been a legendary Médoc. It is deep ruby-red, crimson, and sometimes almost black colour and has a characteristic bouquet of black fruit (especially blackcurrant), liquorice, and prune as well as fig, cedar, and sometimes cocoa overtones. Pontet-Canet combines power and elegance, as well as concentration and fullness on the palate. Rather sinewy in style, Pontet-Canet is clearly a classical wine with a tannic structure that provides excellent ageing potential. The château team is conscious of the fact that they are following in the footsteps of more than three centuries of tradition, with each period contributing its technical innovations in the interest of quality and in order faithfully to reflect the terroir. Château Pontet-Canet and the estate's second wine, Hauts de Pontet-Canet, are sold exclusively via the Bordeaux wine trade.
Of the 120 hectares (300 acres) estate of Pontet-Canet located in the northern end of the Pauillac commune, across the road from first growth Château Mouton Rothschild, 80 ha (200 acres) are under vine.[2] The soil composition is mainly gravel over a subsoil of clay and limestone. The grape variety distribution is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.[2] Vines average 35 years of age.
Pontet-Canet has one of the largest productions of any classified growth in the Medoc with a production of nearly 20,000 cases of its grand-vin, and another 20,000 cases of its second wine, Les Hauts de Pontet. Harvesting is done by hand, and after sorting the grapes are moved into the estate's gravity-feed cellars for crushing. Fermentation takes place in a mixture of concrete and stainless steel vats. Wines are aged for 16-20 months in up to 60% new oak barrels before fining with egg whites and bottling.
Wine Information
We are learning to understand the terroir, the vines as well as diseases and pests more and more thanks to nature's offering of immense resources that are so little used.
This enables us to help the vine build up a resistance against illness or pests, naturally, without aggression. This was particularly useful at the beginning of the season when frequent rain reminded us of the two previous years.
Then, once the summer began, the sun settled in over the region. The hot weather lasted right up until harvest time, giving us high hopes for the vintage to come.
Our animal traction project continued to develop. It required a lot of thought and a sincere long-term vision. The first results are already evident and go beyond our expectations as the soil very quickly rewards us when we show it respect.
Under perfect weather conditions, the harvest began on the 28th of September and continued under a permanent sunshine and hot temperatures, finishing on the 15th of October.
Harvests : 28th September to 15th October
Alcohol content : 14°
Grape Variety : Merlot : 30 %, Cabernet Sauvignon 65 %, Cabernet Franc 4 %, Petit-Verdot 1 %
Château Pontet-Canet 2009 - Tasting Notes :
Deep purple colour.
The exceptionally complex nose is dominated by fruits such as blackcurrant and a very noticeable graphite presence. A flowery touch of violets adds extra elegance.
In the mouth, the attack is yet powerful and contained. The high in tannins, long and highly refined structure is accentuated by a refreshing acidity.
A great Pontet-Canet !
Vintage 2009
Much like 1947, 1961 and 2005, 2009 is a year of almost overly (for Bordeaux) flamboyant and opulent wines with high maturity and low acidity. The tannins are exceptionally ripe, while the wines are quite voluptuous in style. The Left Bank recorded more hours of sunshine than legendary vintages such as 1947 and 1982, and the grapes had higher sugar concentrations than in 2003 and 2005. The key was significant diurnal temperature variations that allowed the grapes to withstand hot daytime temperatures. An exceptional vintage on all levels.
