2014 Le Pontet
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2014 Pontet Canet has a high-toned nose, a little more VA than its peers. Macerated cherries, iodine and pressed violets come through with aeration. It exhibits some exotic traits, though I would not describe them as unattractive; they are just perhaps missing Pauillac DNA. The palate is medium-bodied with a juicy entry, slightly lower acidity and rounded with a plush, Merlot-driven finish. An atypically sumptuous Pauillac. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Critic scores
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Deepest garnet. Rich and ripe with damson fruit and some oaky char. Very chewy, compact tannins and a little austere overall because the fruit is not rich enough for the structure. (JH)
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Harvest 29 September to 10 October. Crimson to the rim. Initially subdued but opens with aeration. Firm, minerally and upright with dark-fruit notes and a dash of mint. Tannins compact and fresh. Really quite classic and Pauillac in style but the appealing fruit makes it approachable already. A pleasant surprise among the less celebrated years. Should be good value. (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