New Release: The 98-100 Point 2023 Ch Pontet Canet, Potentially Perfect Pauillac
Get in touch2023 Chateau Pontet Canet£395 per case (6*75cl) in bond£400 per case mags (3*150cl) in bond98-100 points Jane Anson97-99 points Lisa Perrotti-BrownOne of Pauillac’s most popular wines has just been released, the Chateau Pontet Canet 2023 and with scores of up to 98-100 points from the critics and a big price reduction from last year, it is set to be a massive success.
Propelled into the spotlight after Robert Parker gave perfect scores to the 2009 and 2010 vintages, the opulent and luxuriously styled Pontet Canet has won an army of admirers in recent years. The 2019, 2020 and 2022 were some of the biggest-selling wines for us by volume in each year’s campaign, and this potentially perfect 2023 is likely to see massive demand.Jane Anson leads the scoring with 98-100 points for a Pontet Canet that will “convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage”. For her, it has “superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character” and is “One of the wines of the vintage”. Lisa Perrotti-Brown is just a fraction behind at 97-99 points for “a beautifully poised, tightly packed powerhouse that promises to keep the firework displays bedazzling collectors for many years to come”.Also impressed was the Wine Advocate’s Yohan Castaing, who gave 96-98 points to “a wine of unprecedented aromatic intensity and precision that marks a significant evolution”.It’s a great release that kickstarts this campaign perfectly and is set to be a big seller. Do take a look and let us know if you would like a case or two secured:Details are below, do take a look and let us know if you would like any secured:
2023 Chateau Pontet Canet£395 per case (6*75cl) in bond£400 per case mags (3*150cl) in bond98-100 points Jane AnsonA 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. (2024) www.janeanson.com Drink 2033-205097-99 points Lisa Perrotti-BrownThe 2023 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of juicy blueberries, black cherries, and blackcurrant jelly spill from the glass, giving way to nuances of violets, black truffle, fertile loam, and mossy tree bark with a hint of cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is so, so silky, elegant, and fine, with perfumed black and blue fruit layers and beautiful tension, finishing long with lots of shimmery mineral and floral sparkles. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphorae, and 15% used barrels. With an alcohol this year of just 13.8%, this is a beautifully poised, tightly packed powerhouse that promises to keep the firework displays bedazzling collectors for many years to come. (2024) www.thewineindependent.com96-98 points Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing)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. (2024) www.robertparker.comOffered subject to final confirmation. Available in 2026
