2000 Pontet Canet
By Chateau Pontet Canet
2000 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet, Pauillac, Bordeaux
The Millennium vintage signalled an exceptional phase for the storied vineyards of Bordeaux. In particular, the 2000 Pontet Canet from Chateau Pontet Canet blossomed into one of the most illustrious offerings from this illustrious Pauillac estate. A showcase of mastery over a vintage that presented both opportunities and challenges.
A Classic Vintage with a Modern Twist
As we delve into the 2000 Pontet Canet, it's imperative to herald its transformation under the diligent stewardship of Alfred Tesseron. This era began a renaissance for the esteemed Chateau, with meticulous attention towards biodynamic practices, fostering a profound connection between terroir and grape.
The vintage’s climatic conditions were marked by a well-balanced growing season. Warm days coupled with cool nights provided an optimal environment that escorted the Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend to majestic heights. The result was a deeply concentrated Pauillac with layered complexity – an interweave of power and elegance, revealing cassis and cedar on the nose, tapering into rich dark fruit sustenance brushed with refined tannins and an enduring finish.
Investment-Worthy Elegance
In terms of fine wine investment, the prowess of the 2000 vintage is beyond reproach. The 2000 Pontet Canet has shown a magnificent evolution in bottle, ascending steadily in value while promising further potential for ennoblement. It encapsulates the virtues of storability and open-handed generosity – a dual appeal that entices both collectors and connoisseurs alike.
Two decades post-vintage, this exemplary 2000 Pontet Canet flaunts a statuesque poise. Patient cellaring has allowed its integral structures to meld seamlessly, presenting investors with a wine that not only anchors a portfolio but serves as a tantalising prospect for future enjoyment underpinned by undeniable Pauillac pedigree.
Summation of Grandeur for the Sophisticated Investor
Embodying an architectural finesse that frames its opulent fruit core, the 2000 Pontet Canet is a paragon of precision and depth – attributes that fervently capture the collector’s imagination. With each year that quietly elapses, its narrative strengthens, further proving this wine to be a sagacious addition to any discerning cellar or investment portfolio.
Market price (USD)
$1,460.00
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
85.71
Scores and tasting notes
Upgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #189 June 2010
Tasted at the Pontet-Canet vertical, the 2000 Château Pontet-Canet is perhaps where things start getting interesting, as Alfred Tesseron's top-to-toe reconfiguration of the vineyard and vinification began to impact and ameliorate the wine. It has a lovely bouquet of blackberry and briary fruit, hints of black truffle developing, later damp earth. There is an intensity here, if not the complexity of the best millennial Pauillacs. The palate is medium-bodied with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and sous-bois percolating up through and rendering it a "serious" Pontet-Canet in keeping with the vintage. There is a subtle and yet insistent grip on the finish. It has always been a tannic wine, but these are now softening, albeit at a slower pace than some might like. Therefore, I might be inclined to hold on to bottles for another 3-4 years. Tasted February 2016.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 28 July 2016
Tasted at Bordeaux Index's Pontet-Canet dinner at The Ledbury. The millennial Pontet-Canet continues to offer that generous nose with black cherries, cassis, leather and sandalwood. Smooth on the entry, like the nose it is gently moving into its secondary phase. Quite linear and style, broad-shouldered with grippy tannins towards the finish, this deserves a few more years in bottle. Tasted February 2011.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Nov 2011