2018 Pontet Canet
By Chateau Pontet Canet
2018 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The 2018 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet eloquently narrates the story of a Bordeaux vintage that, despite climatic challenges, triumphed with wines of profound character and balance. This particular year stands as a testament to the resilience and sheer talent of the winemaking team at one of Pauillac's organic pacesetters.
An Exemplar of the Vintage
The year began with trepidation: a wet spring heightened mildew pressure, but the estate's biodynamic practices proved their mettle, guiding the vines towards a harvest that benefitted from a flawless late-summer. It is in these testing conditions that the soil vitality encouraged by biodynamics shines, ensuring the vines' robustness and ultimately enhancing the grapes' complexity. The result in the glass is nothing short of mesmerising.
A Profile of Elegance and Energy
The 2018 vintage reveals a profile brimming with elegance and energy; a hallmark of this exceptional Pauillac estate. A dark fruit core is laced with an intricate tannin structure that promises longevity while inviting early exploration. A cavalcade of cassis, violet, and graphite unfurls on the tongue, woven together with a deft oak influence from adept barrel maturation.
Undoubtedly an intelligent addition to any fine wine portfolio, the 2018 Pontet Canet exudes investment potential as much as it does drinking pleasure. The precision and depth here are clear indicators of its future status amongst connoisseurs and collectors alike.
Investment Merits Amidst Nature's Ballet
In the ballet of nature against human endeavour, this wine pirouettes with grace. And as investors seek out vintages that will stand out in their cellaring strategy, the 2018 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet emerges as a beacon. It encapsulates not merely a moment in time or a reaction to adversity but mastery over the elements—making it an exemplary candidate for those looking to diversify their fine wine collection.
Combining critical acclaim and promising maturation potential, I foresee this particular offering from Pauillac evolving beautifully over the years, etching its name into the annals of vintages that skilfully defied expectations—the very essence of what makes a vintage noteworthy for investment.
Market price (SGD)
$1,792.83
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
59.67
Scores and tasting notes
The 2018 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 55% oak barriques and 45% amphorae. Deep garnet-purple colored, it explodes from the glass with an atomic perfume of raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles, rose oil and Chinese five spice, giving way to suggestions of cinnamon stick, dusty soil, pencil lead and underbrush. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is a hedonist's dream, delivering layer-upon-layer of black and red berry preserves with loads of fragrant accents, a beautifully firm yet plush texture and tons of freshness, finishing long with a whole firework display of exotic spices. This is pretty much out-of-the-gate delicious, but it has the backbone to evolve over three decades or more.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 31 March 2021
The 2018 Pontet-Canet is made up of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Picking began on September 24 and finished on October 5; aging is in 55% oak barriques and 45% amphorae. Very deep purple-black in color, it comes rolling sensuously out of the glass with all the opulence and seduction of Cleopatra on a carpet. It emerges with flamboyant scents of crème de cassis, preserved plums and blueberry compote, and after a few moments, it bursts with nuances of molten licorice, sandalwood, Chinese five spice, candied violets, dark chocolate and dried roses, followed by underlying earthy suggestions of fallen leaves, black truffles, underbrush and wild sage. Full-bodied, wonderfully dense, rich, impossibly layered and very, very decadent, the palate delivers all it promises on the nose, with a firm, wonderfully velvety frame and finishing with epic length, a scintillating wave of freshness and a beguiling perfume. This is one for true hedonists.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019
A bright and open young wine with polished and soft tannins that spread out and fold into the wine, becoming barely discernible, yet the feel and beauty of them frames the wine in a beautiful way. Love the fruit and purity.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
The 2018 Pontet-Canet is a freak of nature. Dark, rich and explosive, the 2018 possesses off the charts richness and concentration, much of it coming from tiny yields of just ten hectoliters per hectare, or one third of a normal crop. The 2018 soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic intensity and depth. Black cherry, gravel, grilled herbs, leather, lavender and menthol stain the palate. Dense and hedonistically ripe, the 2018 is a stunningly beautiful wine. The grapes were crushed by hand. Because of the tiny yields, the entire production was vinified in Pontet-Canet's new smaller concrete vats. All winemaking was done manually, without the aid of external temperature control or electricity. The 2018 is aging in a combination of 55% new oak and 45% terra cotta amphora. Quite simply, I have never tasted anything like it.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019
The concentration that comes from having yields of 12hl/ha is extremely clear - it makes it feel very Pauillac, again resembling as at Latour, a 2010 style in terms of its backbone and sense of hunkering down. The fruit quality is dark and knitted, with a creamy texture if you give it a minute to settle, an obvious tannic structure and a menthol finish that lets in some juice, bramble and hedgerow pleasures. It’s clearly impressive, although I get just the slightest touch of over-concentration with hints of prune on the finish. The small yields meant the entire process, from destemming to sorting, was done by hand (last year around 30% of the crop was treated in this way), then fermented in small 40L cement vats that had seen their first service for just part of the crop in 2017. There was huge amounts of hard work and stress to ensure that no dried grapes made it through, with no pumping over and only soft manual punch down to control extraction. This is 100% 1st wine, same as it has been here for the past three years. 55% will be aged in new oak barrel, 45% in amphoras.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019