Château Pontet-Canet 2009

Winery Background and History: Château Pontet-Canet is a historic Pauillac estate classified as Cinquièmes Crus in the 1855 Classification. Established in the 18th century by Jean-François de Pontet and later expanded by the Cruse family, it has been owned by the Tesseron family since 1975. Over the past two decades Pontet-Canet has become a left-bank benchmark for organic and biodynamic viticulture, reintroducing horses for vineyard work and focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and low inputs. The estate’s philosophy emphasizes vineyard expression over heavy cellar manipulation, producing structured yet vibrant wines that can rival higher-classified neighbors in depth, finesse, and longevity.

Producer and Wine Maker: Pontet-Canet is led by the Tesseron family, with Alfred Tesseron steering its quality revolution alongside estate director and vineyard teams dedicated to meticulous farming. The approach prioritizes being a great grower first, then a winemaker, ensuring pristine fruit defines style and structure. The cellar team champions gentle handling, gravity flow, and precision selection to preserve purity and terroir identity. Continuous experiments with alternative vessels and canopy practices complement classical Médoc techniques. The result is a Pauillac that marries density with lift, fine tannin grain with vibrant freshness, and clarity of cassis-driven fruit with mineral graphite complexity.

Vineyards and Micro Climate: The estate spans roughly 81 hectares on Pauillac’s northern plateau near Mouton Rothschild. Vines sit on deep Garonne gravels over clay and limestone, giving excellent drainage, heat retention, and steady ripening for Cabernet Sauvignon. Proximity to the Gironde estuary moderates extremes, reducing frost risk and enabling long hang times. Biodynamic practices enhance soil life and water regulation, while horse ploughing reduces compaction and encourages deep rooting. Old vines and strict selection deliver small berries with thick skins, high color, and abundant yet refined tannins. The microclimate and gravelly croupes produce a classic left-bank profile combining power, precision, and ageworthy balance.

Vinification & Aging Methods: Hand harvesting and rigorous sorting ensure only perfectly ripe bunches enter the cuverie. Fermentations proceed by parcel in temperature-controlled vessels with gentle extraction to frame tannins without sacrificing freshness. Gravity movements are preferred to protect fruit integrity. Aging combines fine-grained French oak barrels and larger vessels to balance aromatic complexity with purity of fruit, with a careful proportion of new oak and long élevage on lees for texture and harmony. Rackings are limited and sulfur use is restrained. The aim is transparency to site, a supple mid-palate, and seamless integration so structure, fruit, and minerality finish in long equilibrium.

Tasting Notes: Deep garnet to opaque ruby with a youthful rim. The nose opens with crème de cassis, ripe blackberries, and warm plum, layered with graphite, cedar, violets, anise, cocoa, and subtle menthol. The palate is full bodied and concentrated yet impeccably balanced, delivering a core of black fruit wrapped in velvety, fine-meshed tannins. Energy from fresh acidity propels flavors of cassis, black cherry, savory tobacco, and crushed rocks. Texture is plush but controlled, with precision and length that fans out across mineral and spice accents. The finish is very long and symmetrical, promising decades of evolution while already remarkably complete.

Food & Wine Pairing: Serve with classic Pauillac partners that mirror the wine’s stature and structure. Roast ribeye, grilled striploin, lamb saddle with rosemary, or dry-aged côte de boeuf underline the cassis and graphite core. Slow-braised beef cheeks, venison loin, and duck breast with cherry jus highlight richness and depth. Earthy accompaniments such as truffled pommes purée, roasted celeriac, porcini, or thyme-glazed root vegetables complement savory notes. Hard cheeses like Comté Réserve or aged Mimolette add nutty complexity. Season thoughtfully with sea salt and cracked pepper, avoiding heavy sweetness or intense chili heat to preserve balance and the wine’s poised, mineral finish.

Service Methods and Temperatures: Serve at 16–18°C in large Bordeaux stems to showcase aromatic detail and structure. For youthful bottles, double decant or use a broad-based decanter to allow gradual opening and aromatic lift. Two to four hours of air reveals layered fruit, graphite, and floral complexity while polishing tannins. For mature bottles, pour gently to avoid sediment and use a lighter aeration approach to protect delicate tertiary nuances. Maintain a stable service temperature throughout the meal for consistent expression. Re-cork between pours if service is extended to limit oxidation and preserve freshness, line, and definition from first glass to last glass.

Storage and Aging Potential: Store horizontally in a dark, vibration-free cellar at 12–14°C with 65–75% relative humidity and minimal temperature fluctuation. Avoid light exposure and strong odors. The 2009 vintage combines ripe concentration with excellent acidity and tannin quality, conferring very long life. Well-kept bottles will evolve from primary cassis and blackberry to secondary cedar, cigar box, and graphite, then to tertiary truffle, leather, and dried rose. Optimal drinking spans now through mid-century for most cellars, with top storage extending further. Monitor every five to seven years and stand bottles beforehand to settle sediment for clean service.

Grape Varietals & percentage used: Cabernet Sauvignon 65% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc 4% Petit Verdot 1%

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 14%

Scores: Wine Enthusiast: 100 Wine Spectator: 96 Wine Advocate: 100 Robert Parker: 100 James Suckling: 98