2025 Pontet Canet
Buying options
Tasting notes
A beautifully expressive nose of dark fruit immediately sets the tone, layered with a sense of purity and precision. On the palate, the wine is round and juicy, driven by crunchy fruit that gives it lift and energy despite its concentrated core. The oak integration is particularly well judged, bringing a light touch of creaminess without ever feeling overwhelming, adding polish rather than weight. There is a real sense of depth here, a multidimensional feeling that evolves across the palate, combining richness with freshness. The texture is refined and polished, leading into a long length marked by pleasant notes of spice and lingering dark fruit nuances. Already showing remarkable accessibility, it feels almost ready to drink now, though it will clearly benefit from another year of élevage to fully harmonise its components. A compelling and finely balanced Pontet-Canet.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that weighs in at 13.3% alcohol, the 2025 Pontet-Canet is one of the finest wines this estate has produced. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet cassis, wild berries and plums mingled with notions of violet and burning embers, it's full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a degree of structural polish and sensuality that is rare in the Médoc, ripe acids and a long, penetrating finish. Over the last handful of years, technical director Mathieu Bessonnet and his am have revitalized Pontet-Canet's vineyards with well-timed soil work and precise phytosanitary treatments; and since 2023, the careful use of "pieds de cuve" in the winery, along with early blending, more refined barrel choices and cooler temperatures in the chai-plus more precise bottling practices-have conspired to take this estate to new heights of quality and consistency. In 2025, the team formed lower-than-usual "ponts" (whereby the canopies of adjacent vines are braided together in an arch) to retain denser foliage to protect the fruiting zone from sunshine, and they waited to pick late in pursuit of full maturity in Cabernet Sauvignon, finishing on September 23. The result is one of the wines of the vintage.
The 2025 Pontet-Canet was picked between September 2 and 23 and matured in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae and 15% used barrel. The alcohol this year is 13.3%. This has a more fruit-driven bouquet than its peers, with upfront blackberry and blueberry fruit, a little floral in style, with hints of pressed violet that emerge with aeration. Fine delineation. This is finely balanced, quite flinty on the back palate, edgy with pleasing focus. Just a touch of black pepper towards the composed finish. Just the right amount of grip here. Not quite as long as you would find in warmer vintages, but that is moot because of the freshness and brightness in this Pontet Canet.
Dark purple in color, the wine exudes currants, peppery spices, blackberries, and licorice on the nose. The palate is lush and creamy. Intensely concentrated with lift and balanced by richness, the wine culminates in a long, mouth-coating finish packed with black currants, chocolate, spice, mint, and flowers. The wine blends 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. 13.3% ABV. Harvesting took place September 2 - September 23. Much of the vintage's success is due to the late-June rains, followed by late-August rains, which helped achieve ripeness and lower ABV levels while adding lift and energy. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 35% Amphora, and neutral oak.
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