2017 Pontet Canet
Buying options
Tasting notes
Full bottle 1,573 g. Tasted blind. Crimson with some shading at the rim. Warm and very obviously ripe. Tightly reined-in with marked tannins. Quite sophisticated with savoury subtlety. Youthful. Definitely red bordeaux. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Mid-deep ruby colour. Very cool nose, mineral with dried leaves and fresh blackcurrant. The palate is crunchy, coated with fine but firm tannins. The impression remains very savoury, with wood spice and graphite at the core. Dry and sinewy, but bolstered by waves of blue and black fruit towards the finish. Needs time. (TP)
A classic 2017, more sculpted but less powerful than the 2014, 2015, 2016. This has elegance and finesse, needs time to be coaxed out of the glass to reveal a complex mix of blue and red fruits, and a lovely brush of Pauillac graphite, eucalyptus, black tea and pencil lead. Harvest September 18 to October 4. The frost of 2017 impacted Pontet Canet less than most places, only affecting the north-facing cooler parts of the vineyard.
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Harvest 18 September to 4 October. The vineyard was hit by frost twice in April. Crimson hue but lighter and more transparent at the rim. Open and expressive already with red and dark fruit notes and a hint of leaf and mint. Medium to light- bodied, the palate supple and fruit forward, the tannins light but fresh and fine. Holds a certain charm but not for the long haul. (JL)
About the producer
Ch. Pontet-Canet is one of Pauillac’s top estates, and one of its largest at 81 hectares. Although classified as a Fifth Growth, these days it consistently competes with the First Growths