2023 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, a 5th Grand Cru Classé of Pauillac, epitomizes Médoc excellence. Pioneering biodynamics under Justine and Alfred Tesseron, this estate harmonizes tradition and innovation. The 2023 vintage, nurtured through a mild spring and serene summer, unveils healthy grapes, promising a wine of remarkable depth and elegance. An iconic left bank reference.
"Fifth I Am, Second I Should Be" Under the direction of owner Alfred Tesseron since 1994, fifth-growth Château Pontet-Canet has gradually increased quality year after year, thanks in part to biodynamic farming, and today Pontet-Canet is a de facto second-growth. In great vintages, it is a peer of the First Growths. This isn’t surprising; it’s situated on the same gravel mound as its first-growth neighbors Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Mouton-Rothschild.
Decanter
A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, with sunken qveri-style cement vats (and egg-shaped wooden vats coming for the 2024 vintage). 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage.
Wine Advocate
With the 2023 vintage, this estate has crafted a wine of unprecedented aromatic intensity and precision that marks a significant evolution. Revealing an elegant, fresh bouquet of mulberries and cassis mingled with notions of violets, gentian and menthol, the 2023 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, seamless and multidimensional, with a pure and precise core of fruit that's framed by ultra-refined tannins and a powerful but controlled profile, concluding with long, mineral, licorice-inflected finish. It's the result of more daring harvest decisions than in previous years: By picking the Merlot earlier to highlight fresh, fruity notes rather than baked, sun-kissed flavors and simultaneously delaying the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest until after September 28 to refine tannins, the 2023 Pontet-Canet marks a significant evolution at this renowned estate. At this early stage, its élevage appears to be more discreet, too. This wine, which I'd be delighted to own, is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, matured in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae and 15% once-used barrels.
James Suckling
A very structured Pontet-Canet that expands in the mouth with a gorgeous combination of beautifully ripe fruit and intense tannins. Very structured for the vintage. Full-bodied with excellent presence and length. So much raw pencil shavings to the blackcurrants. Graphite and tar. Fresh and vivid. They picked cabernet at the right time at the end of September