| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2006 is a wine to stockpile, especially for those in their thirties and forties as it needs another decade to reach maturity, after which it should keep for 30+ years. This vineyard, just south of Mouton Rothschild, has produced an opaque bluish/purple-colored 2006 with an extraordinarily pure nose of graphite, charcoal, sweet creme de cassis, and a hint of scorched earth. Incredible concentration, stunning richness, and a 60-second finish result in a wine that transcends the vintage as well as this estate's 1855 classification. This enormously endowed, modern day classic is a legend in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050+.
Enormous credit is due proprietor Alfred Tesseron for turning things around at this estate in 1994, and continuing to produce first-growth level wines. Pontet-Canet is one of the few bio-dynamically farmed vineyards in the Medoc, and Tesseron is such a perfectionist in both the vineyard and wine cellars that his nickname among other bordelais is ""Monsieur Bonsai.""
The 2006 Château Pontet-Canet has an extremely pure, vivacious, perfumed bouquet with crushed violets infusing the blueberry and blackberry fruit. But it is all about the detail and precision in this wine. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip in the mouth: lightly toasted black fruit, dried orange peel, cedar and a pinch of white pepper. This feels very cohesive and poised with just a touch of mint entering right on the finish. What a great wine from Alfred Tesseron and Jean-Michel Comme. Go grab the corkscrew now, but don't feel that this wine has to be opened for another 5-6 years.
Big and rich, with lots of round and velvety tannins. Full-bodied and very ripe, with a long flavorful finish. A beauty. Voluptuous for the vintage, with lots of currant and berry character.
Very very dense purple. Lovely perfume. A little austere on the palate. Good lively mid palate and well structured but there is a little greenness. Fresh and brisk. Drink 2012-2024Date tasted 7 Nov 08
Rich spicy fruit with hints of aromatic violets. Lovely purity. Disappointingly dry and a bit tough on the finish after the nose promised so much, but maybe it will soften (hence the plus)?
Saturated medium ruby. Inky cassis, black raspberry, graphite and pungent minerality on the very ripe nose. Dense, rich and silky, with a brooding inky minerality and an almost liqueur-like dark fruit sweetness leavened by a savory peppery element. This very ripe, deep and concentrated wine boasts wonderful lushness without any undue weight thanks to its sheer energy. Like its neighbor Mouton-Rothschild, Pontet-Canet's 2006 conveys a powerful impression of soil character. Finishes with serious dusty tannins and superb lingering sweetness. Should be long-lived.
Very modern on the nose, packed with sweet ripe cassis and chocolate bilberry. The ripeness of the fruit on the palate is balanced by some mid freshness that gives an added complexity. The fleshy sweetness comes back on the finish.
One can’t say enough about the extraordinary quality proprietor Alfred Tesseron has achieved at Pontet-Canet over the last decade. The 2006 is another massive wine that may be as backward and concentrated as its nearby neighbor, Mouton Rothschild. Boasting a dense purple/black color in addition to aromas of creme de cassis, incense, burning embers/charcoal, and pain grille, it is monstrous in the mouth with huge flavor concentration, extremely high tannins, and significant extract. Tesseron’s goal appears to be a 50+ year wine. The 2006 requires a decade of patience. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2040+.
The 2006 Pontet-Canet has a very lifted nose, very pure with an almost Pinot Noir-like allure. Black cherries, creme de cassis and a touch of blueberry with crushed stones in the background. Superb delineation and integration of new oak. With few more minutes in the glass, there is a touch of espresso just beginning to emerge. The palate is full-bodied with sinewy tannins, very good acidity and sense of symmetry, although I would say that this has closed down a little since I last tasted it. Good backbone and sense of vitality. Tannic, grippy and more masculine, graphite tinged finish. Drink 2013-2025. Tasted October 2009.
Tasted three times, this note from the château. Now this is a stunning wine from a property that is both innovative and embracing traditional techniques of vinification. This is their best wine I have ever tasted out of barrel and could surpass even the 2005. A very deep garnet core. The nose leaps from the glass with blackberry, violets and a sense of minerality that I have never encountered before with Pontet-Canet. The palate is beautifully poise with again, an unerring sense of minerality and delineation. Blackberries, violets and a touch of cassis, I cannot help feel that Alfred Tesseron and winemaker Jean-Michel Comme have leapfrogged both Pichon's this year. An elegant, wonderful poised finish with freshness on tongue. Just a fabulous wine. Tasted April 2007.
Dark, blackish crimson. Very dark. Something a bit strange on the nose. Vegetation plus molasses. Not totally compact or together. A bit soft and messy on the finish. Pretty dry and inky on the finish and lacking real concentration too - diffuse.
