Average Wine Guy

M.H. Exploring average wines in an average world. Find me on Cellartracker! Share on Tumblr

[averagewineguy]

Pontet Canet Vertical ('09, '05, '04, '00)

2009 Pontet Canet

Decanted 2.5 hours before pouring. The 2009 Pontet-Canet is deep purple in colour with a nose of expressive black and purple fruits. Liquorice, espresso, fresh dark currants, cassis that all comes together extremely harmoniously that presents a very pleasant almost dark candy-like, fruit driven intense bouquet. On the palate, the wine is very pure and powerful with juicy, bursting blackcurrant and cassis fruits with an underlying liquorice note and coffee scent. Eucalyptus mint creeping up steadily upon the mid palate and expresses itself to create a dimension of freshness in this otherwise would-be fruit driven wine. The mid-end palate is definitely the climax of the wine with robust fruit flavours and refreshing eucalyptus that provides the impressive balance and integration of flavours into one superb wine.  Tannins are powerful and mouth-coating, yet elegant and pleasurable. Acidity is clean and plays it role in lifting its primary fruit flavours. Definitely well-made; and with almost every aspect of the wine coming together presenting a wine that is no less than impressive. Decades ahead for sure. (94-97 pts)

---

2005 Pontet Canet

Decanted 2.5 hours before pouring. The 2005 Pontet-Canet is medium purple in colour with an expressive, youthful nose of liquorice, roasted coffee, ripe plums and slight chocolates. A calm entry on the palate of primary fruit flavours slowly reaching a mid-palate climax of bursting juicy purple berries, blackcurrants with underlying roasted coffee.  Tannins are mouth-coating. A wine with elegant and smooth drive. Well-layered and complex with flavours being very well integrated. Bold tannin structure but beautifully balanced. Great style and depth in the wine displaying youth and an acidity that almost “blends” in the wine, on a prolonged finish.

---

2004 Pontet Canet

Decanted 2.5 hours before pouring.  The 2004 Pontet-Canet is medium purple in colour with a fresh fragrant nose that is rather driven yet with a “classic” Pontet-Canet style. The nose opens up to slight herbs (rosemary), sweet incense, liquorice and fruit notes of prunes, juicy blackcurrants, slight thick-skinned blue berries and gentle spice.  A velvety entry of fruit flavours of juicy blackcurrants and prune skin. Tannins are quite mouth-coating and grippy. Medium finish with alcohol coming up with a little punch towards the end. Rather bold structure.

---

Pontet Canet 2000

Decanted 2.5 hours before pouring. The 2000 Pontet-Canet is medium purple in colour (very very slight garnet rim) with a rather intensive nose of prominent secondary development – cedar, vanilla, coffee, leather skin, woody spice and hoisin sauce, yet with underlying fresh primary fruits of prunes and blackcurrants.  On the palate, the wine welcomes the initial entry of secondary leathery notes of cedar, wood spice and liquorice that coats over some primary fruit flavours of black currants, thick-skinned plums and dark prunes. Tannins have slightly evolved resulting in them being rounder but still rather powerful. Good drive that powers the wine flavours on the palate. Acidity comes up from the mid-end palate on a prolonged finish. Expressive nose and palate with a great structure. Years ahead for sure.

[averagewineguy]

2008 Marchand & Tawse / Pascal Marchand St. Romain

The 2008 Marchand & Tawse / Pascal Marchand St. Romain is medium (-) pale straw in colour with a nose of white flowers, squashed red apples, pears and slight passionfruit. On the entry, the wine displays nuances of pears and red apples before progressing to zesty lime and lemon peels. There's a fine underlying minerality. Quite a 'hit and run' style, with flavours coming up quickly and ending on a shorter finish. Undeniable freshness nonetheless. Was more expressive upon a pop-and-pour. Palatable and rather decent stuff still.

[averagewineguy]

2007 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten

The 2007 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten is deep gold in colour with a nose of over ripe fruit flavours of honey dew and winter melon. There's a second layer on the nose of gently sweet toasted woodiness and asparagus greenness. There's also a hint of supple kerosene. There's an enticing mix of primary and secondary in the integrated and intriguing nose.  On the palate, an entry of ripe honeydews and chinese pears before progressing to an attractive broad woodiness and almost a tinge of greenness. The attractive part has to be the juicy mid palate. Good focus throughout the palate. There's a quick burst of white peppers on the mid-end palate before it cleans up on a round, fat and attractive mouthwatering acidity. The wine puts a good end on a medium (+) finish with nice primary fruit flavours still lingering after the acidity; which might be a result of the mouthwatering acidity that keeps one reminded of the fresh primary fruit flavours. There's no mention of a back-end alcohol because it's simply almost unnoticeable.  This 'cliff-hanger' styled wine definitely keeps one enticed for another glass. Superb for the discerning palate. Pretty "connoisseur" in style.

[averagewineguy]

1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche

The 1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche is medium (-) dirty garnet in colour with a nose of dense sour cherries, red currants, alongside noticeable development of sweet soil, dirt and earth. There's also an underlying minerality on the nose.  On the palate, a sweet burst of entry of sour cherries and sweet currants - a lot of noticeable fruit purity indeed, despite the developing flavours. Good drive and laser like impeccable focus. There's a wet soil component in the wine that rises up quickly after its primary fruit flavours, creating amazing depth and character. There's a good minerality that strings the wine through to a powerful finish. Lots of power, character and fruit purity in this. Intense stuff yet flamboyant and elegant in style. With acidity still being pretty firm and holding everything together in place, alongside good balance, the wine's definitely holding up extremely well without a doubt.

[averagewineguy]

2011 Domaine Rossignol Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle

The 2011 Domaine Rossignol Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle is medium (-) vibrant ruby in colour with a nose of sweet cranberries, clean soil and earth and juicy red cherries.  On the palate, a sweet burst of juicy cranberries (or cranberry juice almost) as the mid palate arises some sour cherries and a hint of underlying soil. Very clean cut in style and pure, even the earthy gevrey notes are very well put in place. Medium bodied wine with a medium intensity of flavours but very well-expressed and refined. Nonetheless, the 2011 acidity is still pretty noticeable, giving good firm structure in the wine. Very bright and almost 'fruity' on the palate. A lot of weight on the back palate despite its clean nature, the wine definitely has many many years ahead. Definitely enjoyable - one can only imagine the depth it may develop.  The vines of the Petite Chapelle plot of Rossignol Trapet were planted in 1986.