Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2021 - 5ème Grand Cru Classé BIO

This wine has become one of the most sought-after in the Médoc thanks to an extraordinary partnership between Jean-Michel Comme—a passionate, charismatic estate manager dedicated to authenticity—and Alfred Tesseron, an equally committed owner-manager willing to take any risk. Their collaboration has enabled the vineyard’s transition to organic viticulture—an inspiration to all their neighbors—and the refinement of winemaking techniques tailored to their quest for authenticity in expressing the terroir and the vintage. There is no longer a second wine; the entire harvest goes into the grand vin. In terms of style, in recent vintages, a portion of the wine aged in concrete tanks perfectly balances the oak and releases the full aromatic purity of an exceptional wine.

 

Owned by the Tesseron family, Pontet-Canet owes a great deal to the tireless work of Jean-Michel Comme, who spearheaded the transition to biodynamic farming and has shaped the winemaking process for some thirty years. He left the estate in May 2020, handing the reins to Mathieu Bessonnet. In any case, the estate is well on its way, and there is every indication that it will continue along the path it has charted. It is now up to Justine Tesseron, Alfred’s daughter and the estate’s current leader, to keep Pontet-Canet in this league of its own. A tour of the cellar, the horse stables, and the winemaking facilities reveals just how far the château has taken its vision of excellence and respect for nature to the extreme—whether the naysayers like it or not. As a pioneer, Pontet-Canet has sparked a powerful movement in the Médoc that has since set the standard.

With pure aromas of berries and cedar, the wine itself is exceptionally pure. It offers a straight line of freshness, blackcurrant, and ripe acidity. The wine is beautifully textured and firm at its core. Best enjoyed starting in 2028. Organic and biodynamic.

Vibrant and, as a bonus, spared from frost. Herbal infusions were widely used to combat downy mildew, and teams working on the ground saved the day, managing to achieve the appellation’s average yield of 35 hl/ha. Under the leadership of technical director Mathieu Bessonnet, work in the vineyard consisted of a series of quick, on-the-spot responses to the whims of the weather (for example, treating all the vines in 11 hours). The reward is clear: an expressive bouquet of jammed plums, red currant jelly, and wild mint; a dense, velvety tannic structure; and a very silky texture that lingers on the finish with a burst of cocoa beans and bitter orange peel. Aging is split equally between new barrels, more than a third in concrete amphorae, and finally 15% in one-year-old barrels. If you’re looking for a great wine to savor, this is it!

Pontet Canet 2021 displays an authentic, precise character, deeply inspired by its terroir! The wine possesses power and an unexpected tension, making it lively and mouthwatering. The tannins, somewhat creamy, are neither subdued nor overwhelmed; they fulfill their role well and create a harmonious balance with the wine’s acidity. Harmony is thus assured. This Pontet Canet stands out for its vigor and terroir, serving as a reminder that it can excel regardless of the vintage. That, too, is what makes a great wine. 2027–2047

The nose is fruity, elegant, and refined, offering lovely purity of fruit, delicacy in its concentration, and a very nice finesse of texture and complexity. It features notes of vibrant blackcurrant, violet, and, more subtly, fresh morello cherry, combined with hints of fleshy, juicy purple plum, licorice, subtle caramelized notes, graphite, refined minerality, subtle hints of crushed berries, and discreet hints of bergamot and cherry blossom. The palate is beautifully structured, delicate, and precise, offering purity, juiciness, freshness, lovely definition, well-balanced bitterness, depth, minerality, vibrant energy, a lively acidity, and a delightful combination of crispness and juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy, juicy cherry; fresh, crisp morello cherry; and, more subtly, violet plum, crisp,juicy, as well as delicate hints of vibrant wild berries, licorice, vanilla, subtle hints of bergamot, subtle hints of fresh flowers and fresh rose, a subtle hint of cardamom and fresh hazelnut, and a subtle hint of bourbon vanilla. The tannins are supple. Good length. A lovely success, a classic.

Deep purple color with violet highlights and a black core. An opulent nose with a multi-layered character, featuring ripe blackberries, black currants, black cherries, and notes of candied wild berries in the background. Very elegant spices, with hints of vanilla and gingerbread. The palate is very structured; this is a wine with freshness, precision, and elegance, and a lovely length. Excellent fruit and delicate spices, with notes of dark chocolate on the finish. A very elegant wine with lovely tension and promising potential.