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)
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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.
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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.
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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.