2020 Pontet Canet
By Chateau Pontet Canet
2020 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The 2020 Pontet Canet from the esteemed Chateau Pontet Canet offers a unique window into the vintage's specificities that are already defining it as one to watch in the echelons of Pauillac pedigree. This year’s expression invites astute collectors and investors alike to delve into a bottle that speaks of both the vicissitudes and victories of its genesis.
Finesse Amidst Adversity: Cultivation in 2020
Against the backdrop of 2020’s challenges, including climatic caprice, Chateau Pontet Canet has resiliently unfurled a tapestry of robust tannins and measured acidity. The wine is testament to the dedication of vineyard and cellar hands who rendered a constrained alchemy into a symphony of structured complexity.
The extraordinary measures employed in tending vines through undulating stressors forged a wine with pronounced dark fruit notes, and an undercurrent of graphite - a hallmark of the appellation's profound gravel beds. This interspersed with a refined spiciness suggests an evolution toward sumptuous balance as years progress in bottle.
An Investment in Time: The Cellaring Potential
Under advisement for the patient investor, the cellar potential of the 2020 Pontet Canet is not to be underestimated. Like its forebears, longevity intertwines with Pauillac's legacy, promising an enveloping maturity that will reward those who afford it time to unfurl its layers.
An articulate mélange of Merlot’s plumpness softens the cabernet-driven backbone without forsaking structure - a vital consideration in weighing the investment calibre for this vintage. The influence of organic viticulture and biodynamic principles at Chateau Pontet Canet has brought about a purer representation of terroir and varietal constituents; an attribute increasingly sought after in fine wine portfolios.
In summary, the 2020 vintage offers a prudent addition for those seeking promising growth both on the palate and within one's collection. Discerning investors will note with interest how this offering from Chateau Pontet Canet stands poised at the cusp of enological finesse; inviting curiosity now and admiration in hindsight as the years permit its narrative to unfold.
Market price (CAD)
$1,050.00
12x75cl
Highest score
97
POP score
37.06
Scores and tasting notes
The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September. Opaque purple-black in color, it needs significant aeration and swirling to coax out evocative notes of black cherry preserves, raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles and damp soil, before launching into gorgeous floral and spice notions of red roses, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom, with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a lot of depth and polish, delivering mouth-coating red and black fruits with loads of fragrant earth and floral sparks, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral tinged. This is a singular, fascinating expression of the vintage and highly recommended!
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 20 May 2021