EN PRIMEUR Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2023 ØKO i trækasse

Tastingbook.com

Markus del Monego MW

Dark purple colour with violet hue and almost black core. Elegant and refined nose with charming fruit, blackcurrants, hints of blackberries and juicy plums, discreet spiciness reminiscent of cloves and vanilla, fine floral hints in the background, almost violets and liquorice. On the palate well structured with finely grained and ripe yet firm tannins, creamy texture, excellent length and great depth. A Pontet-Canet in purity and elegance, yet powerful and expressive.

Falstaff

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Ripe cassis, blackberry confit, some nougat, fine herbal savouriness is in the background. Complex, juicy, ripe black heart cherry, ripe tannins, fine extract sweetness, fresh and long-lasting, red berry nuances, taut, sure maturity and certain ageing potential.

Antonio Galloni

The 2023 Pontet-Canet is a powerful, impressively constituted wine. Dark, vibrant and sensual in the glass, the 2023 is somber and mysterious in bearing. Black plum, gravel, lavender, graphite and licorice all meld together in the glass. More than anything else, the 2023 is incredibly well put together. In this vintage, the wine was blended at the beginning of élevage rather than at the end, as was the custom in the past. This is a gorgeous and hugely promising Pontet-Canet. I especially admire its finely cut precision and soaring aromatics.

Robert Parker

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

“Flowers, cedar, tobacco leaf, black with red currants, and a hint of smoke create the perfume. The palate is full-bodied, ripe, round, and loaded with sweet, fresh, elegant, juicy, pure, black cherries, and blackberries. The wine is relaxed. Nothing is forced. Everything is in the right place. The tannins are long, there is sweetness, length, and nuances of black currants, chocolate, licorice, and mint that make an appearance in the lengthy finish. The wine blends 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.13.8% ABV, pH 3.75. Harvesting took place September 7 - October 10. This is the earliest, as well as the longest harvest in the history of the estate. The success of the vintage is due to the ability to wait for maturity on a parcel-by-parcel basis. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, and 35% Amphora. Drink from 2029-2060”

The Wine Independent

Alexandre Ma

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. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.

Jane Anson

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, in egg-shaped wooden vats and sunken qveri-style clay vats. 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. New lighter bottle as of the 2022 around 490g, down from 815g in the past, 30 tonnes of CO2 saved just in terms of production. Harvest September 7, one day earlier than 2022, then slow picking through to October 10, later than many in Pauillac - and normal yields of around 40hl/h.