Château Pontet-Canet 2021

Immensely deep, cool fireplace notes, dark fruit, blackcurrant, plums, floral hints. On the palate, precise, masses of tannins, chiselled from stone, finely interwoven with the fruit; structure, precision, finesse, drive, length. A magnificent Pontet Canet, among the very best the vintage has to offer.

A nice, dark, winey offering, with steeped black cherry and black currant fruit melding nicely with warm earth, alder and cast iron accents through the focused finish. Shows grip and range, with barely any indication of the vintage's skinny side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.

Gorgeous fragrance on the nose, so perfumed and floral—really vibrant—you can smell the Cabernet and the Petit Verdot. Juiciness straight away with a burst of high acidity focused on blackcurrant and black cherry, followed by fragrance, spice, and minerality. This really hits you square on—it’s not opulent but it’s so full of flavor, forward and upfront. Tannins are fine-grained but plentiful; they hold the structure and give the frame, while the creaminess and freshness lend breadth on the palate. There’s refinement and an airy quality here despite the clear Pauillac power. The Cabernet fruit is in full shine mode, giving a eucalyptus note, perfumed berry, and black pepper touch. Structured and supple with grape and terroir character. If you love Pontet and classic Pauillac claret, this is an impressive reference point. Skilled winemaking from technical director Mathieu Bessonet. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

This is a very pretty 2021 with a solid, beautiful mid-palate and good density. Juicy fruit, slightly chewy tannins and a savory finish. Hints of graphite. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Pontet Canet, which contains a little more Petit Verdot than usual, was bottled in July. It has a very attractive bouquet with pure black fruit, cedar and light iris flower scents. It is not powerful, yet there is elegance here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crisp line of acidity. Just a hint of mocha lurks in the background, but there is a satisfying, almost citric freshness toward the finish. Suggestions of graphite linger on the aftertaste. I have not spared Pontet Canet from criticism in recent vintages, but that said, I really warmed to this 2021, and it should age with style.

Blackberries, flowers, cigar box, herbs, espresso, and spearmint nuances pop from the glass with only a few swirls. On the palate, the wine is vibrant, fresh, and medium to full-bodied, with blackberries, chocolate, black currants, orange citrus, espresso, and spice. This is a forward-styled vintage that will be quite a treat to start drinking in its youth. Yet it will age for decades. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2028–2055.

Dark ruby garnet colour with deep core, purple reflections, delicate brightening on the rim. Ripe plums, blackberry confit, candied oranges, a hint of nougat, still somewhat closed. Medium complexity. Nuances of red berries, vivid tannins, fresh acidity, black cherries and subtle leafy notes, astringent touch in the aftertaste, a versatile food wine, still needs some time. (8/1/2024, cellar, drink from 2028 + 20 years).

Ripe blue fruits, spring flowers, violets, tobacco, and some graphite notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Pontet-Canet, a richer, medium- to full-bodied Pauillac that has polished, building tannins, terrific overall balance, and outstanding length. It picks up more classic Pauillac lead-pencil notes with time in the glass (I was able to taste this on multiple occasions) and is a fleshy, beautifully textured 2021 that will benefit from 4–5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. The 2021 is based on 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot that was raised 50% in new oak barrels, 35% amphora, and the balance in once-used oak.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot) Silky, dense, creamy, finely opulent, complex, deep bouquet, black cassis, licorice, Black Currant, dark chocolate, truffle, graphite. Concentrated, multi-layered, powerful, elegant palate with creamy, dense, dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, creamy, full structure, dense, powerful, dark, varied, sweet aromatics, very long, dense, full finish with many lingering flavors.

(58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot) Silky, dense, creamy, finely opulent, complex, deep bouquet; black cassis, licorice, black currant, dark chocolate, truffle, graphite. Concentrated, multi-layered, powerful yet elegant palate with creamy, dense, dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, full structure, dark, intense, varied, sweet aromatics, and a very long, dense, full finish with plenty of lingering flavors. 19/20 2030 - 2060

Bright berry red in colour, nuanced blackberry and loganberry with bitter black chocolate notes from the first attack. Lovely precision, good level of spice, earthy, unfussy, rose stem and blackcurrant bud. This was the third vintage with mildew pressure, but the team are now experienced, and I can attest to seeing the vines during harvest and remarking on how healthy they looked, with no-till farming helping concentration. Plenty of tannins give structure and are shot through with sinew and juice; this is an impressive wine from technical director Mathieu Bessonet, with Pauillac typicity. Harvest from 24 September until 12 October. 50% new oak, 35% amphora, 15% one-year barrels, 15% press (aged in amphora).

The 2021 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. It slowly unfurls to reveal expressive notes of crunchy black cherries, fresh blueberries, and black raspberries, leading to suggestions of wet slate, black olives, rose petals, and cardamom. The light- to medium-bodied palate is bright and lively, with wonderfully pure black fruit and mineral-inspired flavors and a fine-grained texture, finishing with a floral lift.

The wine offers absolutely magnificent refinement and subtlety. With fresh fruit, it unfurls on the palate with great smoothness and silkiness. The texture is superb, the fruit is composed, and the tannins are lace-like.

Pontet Canet 2021 shows an authentic, precise character, clearly inspired by its terroir. The wine has unexpected power and tension, making it lively and mouthwatering. The tannins, slightly creamy, won’t be pushed back or intimidated; they fully do their job and create a symbiosis with the acidic structure. Harmony is thus ensured. A Pontet Canet that stands out through its vigor and terroir, and that reminds us it can perform regardless of the vintage. That’s what a great wine is all about.

The nose is fruity, elegant and racy, offering lovely fruit purity, delicately concentrated, with very fine grain and complexity. It reveals notes of vibrant blackcurrant and violet, and, more subtly, fresh morello cherry, combined with touches of fleshy/juicy purple plum, licorice, fine hints of caramel, graphite, racy minerality, subtle hints of crushed small fruits, discreet hints of bergamot and cherry blossom. The palate is beautifully guided, delicate and precise, delivering purity, juiciness, freshness, lovely definition, well-judged bitters, depth, minerality, vibrant energy, a tangy backbone, and appealing crunch/juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy cherry, fresh/crunchy morello cherry and, more subtly, purple plum and crunchy/juicy raspberry, along with fine hints of bright wild berries, licorice, vanilla, discreet hints of bergamot, subtle hints of fresh flowers and fresh rose, a discreet touch of cardamom and fresh hazelnut, and a subtle touch of bourbon vanilla. The tannins are supple. Good length. A lovely success, a classic.

Impenetrable black in the glass. Sweet and intense on the nose, very massive, with great power and intensity, almost a bit boisterous—decidedly youthful. Fantastic, racy attack with still dull tannins, a touch raw and rough. Drive and pressure—a full, large-scale wine with enormous tannin extraction and a magnificently long finish. It still comes across as youthful and dry and will need a few years for the dull, dusty note to fade. Then it could develop plenty of suppleness, as it has ample extract. A truly distinctive character.

97–99. Barrel Sample. The dense color and the perfumed aromas set the scene for a rich wine full of fruit. The balance is already there, complex with structure and dense juicy fruits. The wine is impressive.