Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2025 - 5ème Grand Cru Classé BIO (Primeurs)

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.

A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, with an alcohol content of 13.3%, the 2025 Pontet-Canet is one of the finest wines this estate has ever produced. From the glass, it releases aromas of sweet blackcurrant, wild berries, and plums mingled with notes of violet and embers; it is full-bodied, rich, and velvety, with a structural finesse and sensuality rarely found in the Médoc, ripe acidity, and a long, penetrating finish. In recent years, winemaking director Mathieu Bessonnet and his team have revitalized the Pontet-Canet vineyards through timely soil work and precise pest control measures; and since 2023, the judicious use of “tank bottoms” in the cellar, combined with early blending, a more refined selection of barrels, and cooler temperatures in the cellar—as well as more precise bottling practices—has enabled this estate to reach new heights in terms of quality and consistency. In 2025, the team trained the vines with “bridges” lower than usual (a technique involving interlacing the canopies of adjacent vines in an arch shape) to maintain denser foliage and protect the fruiting zone from the sun, and waited to harvest late to achieve optimal ripeness for the Cabernet Sauvignon, finishing the harvest on September 23. The result is one of the vintage’s flagship wines.

 

One of the most flamboyant wines tasted en primeur. Remarkable smoothness and elegance, a silky texture, depth, and structure come together to form a particularly harmonious whole. Notes of cherry shine through brilliantly, supported by masterful balance and velvety tannins that lend the wine a long, refined finish.

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.

The 2025 Pontet-Canet is a wine of exquisite class. Silky, aromatic, and vibrant, the 2025 is all finesse. Crushed red and purple fruits, lavender, rose petals, and a gentle hint of spice are all beautifully integrated. Pontet-Canet is one of the most refined and sublime wines of the year. It might turn out to be even better than my score suggests. Tasted twice. Antonio Galloni

With its full floral character and spring-like bouquet that blends richness and depth, this 2025 Pontet-Canet offers an immediately delightful aromatic profile. Vibrancy, brightness, purity, and energy are the hallmarks of this wine, which checks all the right boxes for the vintage: it is at once flavorful, invigorating, and very elegantly refined, with perfectly defined tannins. Above all, it boasts a vibrant finish—punctuated by notes of cedar and graphite—and great aging potential.